An Outraged Husband.

Southland Times, Issue 9362, 30 October 1886, Page 2

An Outraged Husband.

The following statement of W. W. Hftath, late manager ot iho DJy River Plantation Company, in reference to the late tragedy at Daly river, by which one MuKianon lost his life on 31st Au. vat, is from the Northern Territory Tun -s of 18lh September. Heatli, on liia iri J, was found guilty of manslaughter, aud sentenced to ten years' imprsoornent : — After describing the circumstances of his wife's confession of misconduct with McKinnnn, Heaih proceeded : — I said : " Eliza, I'll ri^ver wrong or harm you : but an I now ftei I cannot forgive ihai man. He has actually sat here at my table, pretending to me to be the beet of friends, at the sauie time doing all he could to utterly ruin me, and blast your prospects for time and eternity." I said " Where is my tun?" She said " Oi), for God's sake do no harm." I was not bo quiet then as I am now. 1 said " I | will bend for him at once." 1 went down I to the lagoon to call ihe boy ; he cam<-> to I me, I had in my hand at that time a mattock belonging to one of the men. Wh'.n the boy got about half way to me I I eaid " Gall Harry" Harry came just behiud i im. I said to Harry " Take this mattOikand goon with your work." I told Walter to go into the house. He said " Father, what is the matter." I said "Do as you are told ; i you'll find out quite soon enough." Then I turned round to come to \va iis the house. I saw my wife and child walking along the bank of the river. I said " Walter, go and bring Enza back." He started to do so. I tried to follow him I by hopping, as I could not run nor walk, my leg pained me so ; I could only limp along. When Walter saw that I could not I keep up with him, he slackened hia paje, keeping just a few yards ahead of me. Just bofore I got up to my wife I eaid to her " EliZi, atop ; where are you going ?" i Sho 6aid " I must go somewhere." I | caught hold of her arm and stopped her — she was crying. I said ! "Do you go and see MKinnon, and tell him from me that if ever be puts foot again on this plantation I'll shoot him." I said : " Tell him to give you the revolver he has on, and that I will put his clothes and all his things on board of the sampan, and for him never to let ni-j see him again." Walter said : "Father, what ia the matter with mother?" I said : " You will find out quite soon enough ; go and do as I order you." Ha started off immediately ie the direction of the nursery. I turned aboui with my wife and child and st-irted back to the house. I sad : " I hope to God he will not come back." I went into the house with my wife and child. She (my wife) was pleading with mo, saying she was indeed very aorry. I told her "It is too late now, sorrow will never cure or mend it ; you've gone too tar." While we sat there talking together I looked out of the window, and Ba\v, as I thought, Walter comiDg back. I looked again, aud saw that there were two persons. I said : " Eliza, the man or the fool is actually coming back, you know what that means. " She co nni<tnced to scram I Bttid : " Eliza, the die is cm ; one of us h-is g>t to go. I'll sell my life as dearly I can." I went and got the gun (in court); I uolocked it. I saw there were two good cartridges in it. I did not load it. My boy had loaded it before. I went inte my bedroom, and took from there a revolver, which has been spoken of as being seen in i my pocket. I had no pouch. The pistol I ! usually wore I bad lent to Brown. I put the revolver inlo my right hand pocket. I looked out of the window and saw McKtnnou i W.ilter within about two imndred yards of the hou^e. The door was then open. The child was directly in the doorway. I was holding my v,ife in a chair alongside the door to the right hand. She was crying at times, aud screaming and struggling with me all the f time to get at the door. She said : " Miud, go and tell Mr McKinnon not io come." By this time I saw \LcKinnon was runnin?. The boy followed for a short distance, then ran oH at an angle from MuKinnon. I pulled my child in and shut the door with my right hand. By ; tnis time Mc-K nnon had got through, the j horse lot, on the bank of the river at the j landing. He then came to the gate j making very long strides. I said : " Eli&a, i the man is actually rashing me in my own house ; if I don't kill him he will certainly j kill me. lam a cripple, and I dare not j let him tackle me in the house." I eaid, " I must come out." She tried to hold me j back, but could not ; I opened the doer ; | McKinnon was then wiium about fifteen yards of the house. I stepped my left foot out of tho door. I tried to get my right foot out, too. For a minute my foot was iammed in the door, between the floor and the sill of the door. I found I was fast, i saw I had no chance whatever by this time. He was within ten et'-ps or' me, I said " Keep off," or "Keep away." He imniydiately pat im band to his side. I certainly thought he intended to draw his revolver, I believe it firmly

to this minute. Seeing no chance at all I raised my gun, and as his arms wero thin at his side I thought if I could dia* »b.la him /I would bo able to get out of thY dooVr r - I fired at his left arm. As soon aßphad fired the gun I could see t hat rhe slightly turned, and knew that I had Btrnck him. He immediately raised his right arm. I had no time to see if he isad a' Tevolver or not again "; he had just made two stepg forward ; I fifed at his head ; he fell dead . By this time my './ boy mad© hie appearance at the corner of '.: the house ; he was crying and very much excited v I think be aaid " Oil, father." t '" said "Go and call the man." He immediately wont out of my sight; in a momootior two the men came round ; then the expressions were made use of ;by the 4 men that are already recorded. ' . '"• t ?■',.■ ■