PUKEHINAU SHOOTING CASE

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 8

PUKEHINAU SHOOTING CASE

CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

DANNEYIRKE, August 14

Particulars of tho Pukehinau shooting incident on the 4th inst. were given before Mr S. E. M‘Car thy, S.M., at Dannevirke to-day, when Win. Edward Arthur Clemens and Elizabeth Ireland were charged with tho attempted murder of Frederick James Ireland. Detective Andrews prosecuted. The accused were represented by Mr G. H. Smith. Frederick James Ireland, the man who was shot, a sheep farmer, said he had known the Clemens family for about months. They had been frequent visitors at witness's house. Witness met Clemens on July 28, and asked him where he was going. Clemens replied : “ I don't know," and said he had had words with his father, who had kicked him out. Witness invited Clemens to stay at his place till he got something to do. Accused staved till August 4. Up to -then they had been working and shooting together, using witness’s gun. On the 4th Clemens left the house in the morning and returned at 6 o’clock in the afternoon. The female accused had been to Pongaroa that afternoon, and returned a few minutes before Clemens. They had tea, and played -cribbage with Clemens until 9-30, when they had supper, and witness suggested it was bed-time. Clemens put on his boots and went outside. Witness followed, but did not gee Clemens, and returned to the house. Shortly after he heard Clemens call, “Fred, there’s a horse in the fence.” Witness went out by the back door to where he heard the voice come from. After proceeding about a chain or a chain and a-half on the top of the ridge lie listened, but did not hear or see a horse, neither did he hear or see Clemens. He called out, “Where abouts?’’ and Clemens replied, “Down here,” indicating down the ridge away from the house. “ I walked about seven or eight steps down tire ridge,’’ said witness, “ then saw a flash, and immediately afterwards knew I had been shot in the left arm, left side, and groin. - ” Witness fell over, and just as he got up a second shot was fired, hut it did not hit him. He saw Clemens coming towards him, looking as if trying to open a gun. They both ran in the direction of the house, and he heard Clemens call out, “ Get another cartridge, missus.” Accused went into the house, and witness ran to a neighbour's place, where his wounds were attended to by Mr Soilness. The gun alleged to have been used belonged to witness, and was kept in the dairy. Witness did not use the gun on the Monday, nor did he leave it at the back door. He had never threatened to use it on any members' of the household. Ho had never had any serious disagreement with his wife.

The medical evidence showed that Ireland was shot in the arm and abdomen. There were 41 pellet marks. One was in a dangerous position. William Sonne-?, who lives a mile away from Ireland’s place, said that after attending the injured man he went with Constable Catianack to Ireland’s place. The inner door was locked when they went in. The constable informed Mrs Ireland that Clemens had shot her husShe replied. “Don’t say he (Clemons) did it. If you say he did it I’ll do away with myself.” Clemens was found in bed undressed. When charged with shooting Ireland, he said, “ I did not do it.’ 5 Mrs Ireland was threatening to do a wav with herself, and had to he held. She became hysterical. After being taken to witness's house she was arrested. She never inquired after her husband. The gun was found under the bed in Mrs Ireland’s room—the same room as she came from when witness went to the house, and opposite the room where Clemens was found. In the gun, which was covered over with some clothes, an empty cartridge was jammed in the left barrel and there was a loaded cartridge in the right barrel. Some cartridge wads and a- case were found on the ridge where Ireland was alleged to have been shot. Constable Cattanach corroborated the evidence of the previous witness, and said

that -when he arrested Mrs Ireland she said, “I have been to blame all through.” On the way to Pongaroa she said nothing, but had previously asked to be allowed to put an end to matters. H© asked her what she meant, and she indicated that she meant to poison herself. Witness found poison in the house. Mrs Ireland never at any time asked about her husband.

Detective Andrews produced a statement voluntarily made by Clemens at Pahiatua, in which accused said he had been mates with Ireland for practically the last two years. They had never had any quarrel. He had visited Ireland’s house often during the last 12 months. On Monday, August 4, he went to Pongaroa and returned to Ireland’s house at 6 o’clock, had tea, ani then played cribbage. On several occasions he had heard Ireland threaten to blow the brains of his family out. On the Monday evening Ireland appeared very unset. While I was talking to him a fit seized me that if I did not shoot him he would shout mo. I don’t know how to account for the fit. I got up, went outside, took up a gun standing at the back door, loaded both barrels, and called him outside. Ho said, “what’s the matter,” and I replied, “come over here. There is a horse in the fence.” 1 went over a small ridge. Ireland came over the ridge and asked where the horse was. 1 replied, “down here.4’ He came down the ridge about half a. dozen yards towards me and as he did so 1 fired at him from one barrel of the gun. From what I could see he fell, rose to his feet almost immediately, and started to run. He was groaning and squealing. I fired another allot at him. Just as I fired the Second shot 1 heard him say, “Oh you , I'll kill you first.” After that* I went down to the house. I was at the back door when I heard a noise in the trees. I took out an empty cartridge, put a loaded one in and stood a few minutes. I heard no more noise, so I entered the house, went to bed, and remained there until Constable Cattanach came and arrested me.

This closed the case for the prosecution. Mr Smith asked that the female accused be discharged on the ground that there was no evidence to commit her for trial. The magistrate ruled that she had a case to answer. Both the accused reserved their defence and were committed for trial at the Supreme Court session at Palmerston North, commencing on the 19th instant. An application for bail was refused. The accused will await their trial in the Wellington Gaol.