RAMARAMA TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16508, 7 October 1915, Page 6

RAMARAMA TRAGEDY

INQUEST ON THE VICTIM. *. NOT YET CONCLUDED. (Peb United Phess Association.) AUCKLAND, October 6. The early morning tragedy which occurred at Ramarama on September 25, and in which John Thomas Perry, a farmer, aged 45 years, was shot dead while in bed, was further investigated at the Magistrate's Court to-day, when tho adjourned inquest was resumed before tho Coroner (Mr £'. V. Frazer, S.M.). Amelia Perry, aged 29 years, tho widow of the deceased, who was arrested the day following the occurrence on a chargc of murder, was present in care of the police matron. The accused woman was paler and more careworn than when previously bctore the court, but her demeanour was still perfectly calm. Mr Selwyn Maya appeared on behalf of the Crown Law Office, and with him were associated Superintendent Kiely, Chief-detective M'Mahon and Detectivesergeant Hollie. Mr E. J. Prendergast was granted permission to watch tho proceedings on behalf of the aooused.

• The licensee of the, hotel at Drury gave evidence that deceasod had refreshment, including a mug of beer, at the hotel at 7.40 p.m.; and left at 8.20 p.m. on September 24, He left the hotel perfectly sober. Lilhan Perry, residing at Ramarama, but not a relative of deceased, gave evidence of a conversation between her mother and the accused prior to the tragedy, in which ac : cused said she .would not be without, her husband ior anything, as she could not control the boys.. Her eldest boy thereupon remarked he did not care if his father died to-morrow, as he badly used the boys. Henry Richard Jennings, farmer, of Runciman, said he recollected tho deceased's house being burnt down some months ago. 'I ho deceased used to borrow a gun from witness, but his nephew got it back a couple ol months prior to September 25-. A' week before the latter date Mrs Perry came and said, "iom wants a lend of the gun." She stated that it would be returned thef' following day. The gun had been taken to pieces for cleaning, but he reassembled the parts and handed it to Mrs Perry. He had not seen it since until it was produced in court. Mrs Perry had never come for the gun beiore, but Mr Perry did so several tunes, and the children once. '

'Ihomas Perry, aged 14 years, the eldest son of the deceased, who, proved to be an intelligent ■ witness,- said he slept souildly until about 2.60 or 3 a.m. on September when "a noiso like a gun going off aroused him. At first he thought a board had tallen off h;a bed. He got up and examined the bod, but found nothing. A smell of powcier was coming irom his father's room. There wero cracks in the wa.il where the. lining boards did hot fit, ana tnrough one ol these he looked iiitd the adjoining room. There was no light, but the moon was. shining through the window, which was not covered by a blind. He did not notice whether the window, was partially raised. Taking a box of matohes, ne stooped down and looked through .a crack lower than the one he had previously looked through. He saw something which he took to be the bed, and he thought he saw his mother moving. She was on the bed, and leaning over towards his father. When he heard his father groaning ho asked his mother what was wrong. She did not at ■ first reply. Witness did not hear his father making any sound. His mother' was getting up. ' Witness did not hear ' her making a no,se. He kept quiet for a while, and then went into his parents' 500 m. I- W'hen he entered his mother had just raised nerselt on her elbow, and she told him to light the lamp. mother put the glass globe on. He touched his lather's hand to try to get him to speak, > At this stage the youthful witness broke down, but on being reassured by the coroner he continued his narrative."

in answer to his question, explained the boy, his mother said his father looked ■as if he had been shot, adding not to touch him until the police came. Witness could l'eel the wind .blowing through the partly opened window. The baby and his brother Leonard were both lying down as though they were asleep. Witness added that his mother told him to. go and ask Bill Ginnevan to come up Witness went to his bedroom, and Jiis. mother ■ followed carrying the lamp. ' She - went on to the kitcnen. He got dressed and also went, to the kitchen. By this time the rest of the family, with the exception of Amelia, Alma, ; Leonard, and the baby were all up. Just after witness got to the kitchen the baby, started to cry, and his mother sent his' sister Mary , with a bottle. Wlien he left the bedroom to go to his room the'back door was closed. Before going for the neighbours witness waited outside for his mo tiler, who was making food for the baby.' lie called out to hurry up, .and she joined him, witness running ahead to open' both of the gates. On calling up Mr Ginnevan his motner said: — 1 ' Gome on ,up j somebody's shot 'loin." They returned home, and shortly afterwards Mr Ginnevan and Mr Cox arrived. On the way to the neighbour's pla<;e his< mother was crying. The witness, although gently,, pressed, could not recollect his motner • having said anyttiing to, explain how his lather had been snot. Jb.g did not hear her say anything about someorife desiring to get him. cut of the way. When asked how his mother and fattier got on together, lie said that they sometimes quarrelled, but he did not know that they had done so shortly beiore the occurrence.

.To Mr Prendergast: Tlio back door was fastened by a/bar. , He aid not know that it had been locked alter his lather got home on the riight of September 24. What wera you doing alter you woke and before going into your parents' room? —Watching the door. Mr Prendergast,: Would it have been possible for anyone to pass down the passage without your hearing them.—l would have heard them.

I supppse you did not hear anyone pass? '-No.

Do you remember your father going to a hospital in May thiougii being poisoned?— Yes. :

Hod you had any tinned food for tea that .night?— Ye s, tinned peaches. ■ Had any one else complained about the pcacaes?—£es; Fred did.not eat his, and gave them to father.

Was it anything unusual'for your mother to throw tins into. the lire alter taking out the food?—No answer.

lhe Coroner; Do you understand the question? ■ Was it usual or unusual for your mother to put empty tins- in the fire? —Well, we don't often have tinned fruit. Do you remember having it before?— No. Mr Prendergast: But you haye known your mother to put empty tins in the fire? —Yes.

Mr Mays: You say your brother Fred did not eat his peaches but gave them to your father?—lks. '

Mr, Mays informed the court that witnesses would be called to show that the sudden: illness resulted from strychnine poisoning. Mr Mays: Do you remember your, brother George, who sleeps m the samo room as you, and is rervous, calling out to'your father when ho was going to bed about bolting the back door?— No. While you were going, to the neighbour's or returning to the house did your mother say anything?—-As wo were ooming back she said that.' someone might have been quarrelling with him.

Did she say who it probably was?—Nto. William Francis thmnivan, farmer, of Ramaraana, told the coroner about the visit of Mrs Perry and her son early on the morning of September 25. He wakened on hearing a woman calling out " Come quick, oome quick, Tom's dead." As he left the House it was eight minutes past 3. He had told Mrs Perry to send for Mr Pilkington. Witness called for Mr Cox (the Presbyterian misaioner), and they found the mother and some of the children waiting for them in a paddock at the eastern end of the • House. The moon was shining brightly. Witness found deceased lying on his right side on the side of the bed nearest to the window. His head was shot away above the temple. Witness remarked: " He's shot." Mrs Perry said: " Yes." Witness added: " But I don't see ally firearms." Mrs Perry replied: "He was shot through tho window." When ho entered the room Mrs Perry said : "There he is, dead; do the best you can." In reply to his inquiry as to whether there were any firearms in the house! ■ Mrs Perry said: "There's only a gun in the dairy, and that has not been used since Thursday." fvhe either added that there were two cartridges left or thrr.t the last two had been fired on the Thursday. Witness did not think that injuries of so severe a nature could be caused by a gun fired through the window. Witness sai-d that the line of the window was too low for a shot to, have entered deceased's head where it "did. Witness related the circumstances of a will which he and Mr P3kington witnessed when the deceased was poisoned in April. o*. arriving at the house in response to a call they found Mr Perry lying on tho floor suffering from the effects of poisoning. He said he panted the property left to the four eldest boys. Mrs Perry asked him what Leonard (the youngest' boy) had done to. bo left Out of tho will, whereon Mr Perry said: " All right, put him in." On tho suggestion of ; witness Mrs Perry was given a lifo interest, with the proriso that after her death tho five sons should divide the property equal]/. Mr Fe**y was too ill to

write, but ho signed the will by-Hlttrk.. / : ' Witness said Mr fc Perry was very much distressed before th.s doctor reached the House, but afterwards she calmed down. ,On tho J. occasion of the poisoning Mrs Perry'seenied to be concerned about her liusband. Sbis " did not complain before provision was made ■> for her in the vnll, but only 0 when the 1 boy, Leonard was left out. George Frederick Cox (Presbyterian missioner) gave evident as to accompanying ' the previous witness'to Perry's house after r the death of the father. He said Mrs Perry was greatly distressed. Dr Brockfield described the deceased's injuries. He was of cywnion that, the shot 1 was fired close to lie deceased's head. He did not think it comVl have been fired through the window wi\\h the same results. In describing the 'deceased's illness in April witness said it was possi&le that the cause of illness was tetanus. Dr Milson said he wias of opinion that the wound was not; caused by the gun being fired from outside tho window.; It was probably fired' close to the head. It was possible for the wound to be self-in-flicted, but- this was very unusuaL " • The inquest was adjourriod.