PUKEHINAU SHOOTING CASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 32

PUKEHINAU SHOOTING CASE.

MRS IRELAND EXONERATED. CLEMENS SENTENCED. PALMERSTON, August 21. At the Supreme Court to-night William Edward Arthur Clemens and Elizabeth Ireland were charged that on August 4, at Pukehinau, they did attempt to murder Frederick James Ireland; that they did assault Ireland and conspire to murder Ireland. Elizabeth Ireland was also charged with being an accessory after the fact. After a lengthy hearing the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) summed up rather against the accused. After half-an-hoiir’s retirement the jury returned a verdict against Clemens “ that with intent to do bodily harm he did actually do grievous bodily harm.” A verdict of “ Not guilty ” wis returned against Mrs Ireland, and she was liberated. Clemens will be sentenced morrow. He is a young man 23 years cf age. Mrs Ireland is his senior’ by 10 years. Both were very distressed during the hearing, and the woman was obviously in a state of collapse. PALMERSTON N.. August 22. Clemens, the young man found guilty of assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm to Frederick Ireland at Pukehinau, came up for sentence to-day. The Chief Justice took into account the youth of the accused, and the fact that nothing was known against him, and sentenced him to two years’ hard labour at Invercargill, and after that to three yess-s’ reformative treatment, after which he would be under the control of the Prisons Board for a time. His Honor aaid : “ You ought to see that you brought yourself very nearly to the risk cf your own life. It is a marvel Ireland was not killed. If he had been you would have necessarily lost your life.” His Honor added that there appeared lo

be something behind the shooting that did not come out in the evidence.