FOUND SHOT

Southland Times, Issue 21949, 25 February 1933, Page 9

FOUND SHOT

DEATH OF J. S. GREGORY SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS EVIDENCE AT INQUEST An inquest was held yesterday into the circumstances surrounding the death of James Stewart Gregory, a middle-aged stock dealer, before the Coroner (Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M.). After lengthy evidence had been heard, a verdict was returned that the deceased committed suicide by shooting himself through the head and heart. It will be recalled that Gregory, who disappeared from his home on Friday evening, January 27 last, was found dead on the following afternoon in a cowbyre at Lowry’s Bush. There were two bullet wounds in his head and one in his chest, but the absence of either the firearm or any discharged shells introduced an element of mystery. The. theory was advanced, however, that if Gregory had taken his own life he had probably staggered to the cowbyre after the wounds were inflicted and thrown the rifle from him into a pond nearby. It was disclosed in the course of the inquest yesterday that the stomach of the deceased had been analysed in Dunedin and was found to contain 17 grains of poison, a half-grain of which would have been sufficient to cause death. The doctor who performed the post-mortem, however, expressed the opinion that death probably actually resulted from the gunshot wounds, even though the poison had been taken first. , , Detective-Sergeant Hewitt conducted the inquest, while Mr T. Meredith was present on behalf of Mrs Gregory.

Dr. F. O. Mac Gibbon, the first witness, said that on Saturday, January 28, he examined the body of the deceased. There was an old scar on the left leg below the knee, a gunshot wound on the right temple where there were two small circular holes, the lower one being about half an inch below the other. The skin was blackened and the hair scorched around the first wound, but not around the second, i he skull was fractured and the brain tissue lacerated. There was a gunshot wound in the left chest seven inches down from the collarbone and the shot had damaged the heart. No disease was found in any of the organs ol the chest or abdomen.. Witness removed the stomach which he handed to the police to be analysed. There was an area of blackening round the wound in the chest. . In the opinion of witness, the wound in the head was the one likely to have been received fil To the Coroner: The wounds in the head were conjoint, the shot having entered the top hole and made its exit through the bottom. . Witness added that neither wound would be likely to cause immediate death. The deceased appeared to be an extremely powerful man. He could not have lived more than two or three minutes after receiving the wound m the heart. The report (produced) of the analyst regarding the stomach showed that there were 17 grains of poison found in that organ. One haltgrain was sufficient to cause death. To Mr Meredith: The cause of death was the gunshot wounds. He would expect the blackening even if the shots went through deceaseds clothes so long as the gun was fired at point blank range. Gregory could not have possibly travelled far after receiving the wound in the chest. Witness thought the poison must have been taken first and it was probable that death took place from the gunshot wounds before the poison baa had time to act. The Widow’s Evidence. Rose Elizabeth Gregory, widow of the deceased, gave evidence that her husband was 51 years of age at his death. They had been married over 20 years and had a family of six girls. For several years past he had been acting strangely. He purchased a motor car about eight years ago, although his financial position was not then good. Witness questioned deceased’s wisdom in purchasing the car and from then on things went from bad to worse. The deceased , threatened to end his life when the disagreement took place regarding the car. Witness had also had trouble with him over his associations with other women and it was on those occasions, too, that he threatened to take his life. He said he had some stuff which he could use to get rid of himself with. . He had a certain poison in the house m a tin and witness hid it away from him. Later on she saw another bottle containing poison and concealed that also. On the last King’s Birthday she had a look in his car when she discovered an unopened bottle of the poison. Sb® did not remove that bottle, but noticed it was missing on the Sunday before her husband's death. Gregory on the Wednesday prior to his death, had been prosecuted on a charge of being cruel to an animal. He appeared to be very quiet over it all. After the Court case he came home with two wristlet watches for two of the girls—an unusual action on his part. He later told witness that he had purchased them as a keepsake and that he had given the watches to the girls in memory of himself. Deceased was very restless in bed on the Wednesday night and got up about one a.m. and was away for half-an-hour. There was a rifle in the house behind the pantry door, but Gregory very seldom used it. She last saw the weapon on the Sunday before his death. Ca U“ ridges for the rifle were kept on the top shelf of the pantry. She noticed the rifle was missing on the Thursday, but did not mention that fact to her husband as she was too frightened to do so. He was about the place all day on the Thursday, but went out that night at nine o’clock, returning at 11.30 p.m. He did not say where he had been. ' He was very irritable and agitated, cursing, swearing and talking to himself. He got up again in the early hours of the morning and went out for about half an hour. Witness became afraid and requested the police to see her husband about his conduct. Constable Drake saw Gregory that evening. The deceased’s daughter was to have been married on the Saturday and the deceased bad refused to have anything to do with the wedding. He said he did not want to know anything about it—that it would be a sad day for her (witness) and many others. He said that “the old lady” had turned him down like the rest and would get a “plaster put

across her,” too. Witness went into the bedroom to give him a message from his mother and at the same time she asked him would he be going to the wedding. He replied that he would not be there to see it—that he would be well out of it. Witness told him not to be foolish. She said she did not feel equal to going on with the wedding without his assistance and he replied that she would have to be equal to face “a few more things before long.” He said he would not give anything towards the wedding as he hadn’t a shilling.' He mentioned that he felt sorry for “the little ones.” As she was preparing a cup of tea, the deceased walked down the passage, and that was the last she saw of him. While she was sitting on the bed, too frightened to retire, she slipped her hand under the pillow and found her husband’s watch and chain, some money, a key of his desk and a small note (produced). She looked through the desk and found notes addressed to each of the younger children, one “to whom it may concern” and one to no one in particular. One note was dated January 26. The detective-sergeant handed the notes in question to the Coroner. Continuing her evidence, witness said that when Gregory did not return home on the Friday night she reported his disappearance to the police. Tire deceased was a strong, powerful man, of very determined mind. She did not know of anyone likely to do her husband an injury. The deceaseds financial position was very bad. She believed her husband’s objection to the daughter’s marriage was caused by his desire not to lose her services on the farm. The stock of the rifle was about 2ft 6in long. The Coroner: I judge you had a somewhat unhappy life with your husband; what was the deceased’s temper like? Witness: Very quick. And were you and the children physically afraid of him?—Yes. Search by the Police. Evidence as to his being informed by Mrs Gregory that her husband was missing and his search for him was given by Constable Drake. In company with Robert Wilson, witness searched Lowry’s Bush and, in a cowbyre on the edge of it, the body, fully dressed was found. Nearby, he found a bottle of poison and, from the information he had previously had, he believed that death had resulted from a dose of the poison. The clothing of the deceased was all saturated with water. Witness had not been able to find the rifle. In consequence of the complaints made by Mrs Gregory, witness saw the deceased about 6.30 p.m. on the Friday when he appeared to be quite normal. The Coroner: He was in a state of high nervous tension when -the case was adjourned on the Wednesday night. Had he got over that? Witness: He appeared to have done

Evidence regarding his examination of part of a bullet handed to him was given by George Frederick Strang, a gunsmith, of Invercargill. William Harold Wilson, a farmer of Tisbury, detailed the search he had carried out with Constable Drake for the decased and the discovery of the b °Robert Wilson, a farm labourer of Invercargill, a brother of the previous witness whom he accompanied on the search gave corroborative evidence. James Marshall, a farmer residing at Racecourse Road, said that on the Friday night about half past seven he saw Gregory going towards the Rosedale Mills. About an hour after retiring, witness heard his dogs barking—a somewhat unusual occurrence. Any person making his way to Lowry s Bush would pass within about 200 yards of witness’s house. Worried Over Prosecution. Hugh Ferguson, a carpenter, of North Invercargill, said he remembered having a conversation with the deceased on the Thursday evening before his death. Gregory mentioned the cruelty charges, saying they were trying to send him to gaol for 12 months. Witness assured him that in the event of his “going down below he would ao anything about the place to assist. Gregory said that it did not matter. John Wilson, a labourer, of North Invercargill, who resided next door to Gregory, gave evidence that he naa known the deceased for nine or ten years. Witness had not got on too well with him during the last year or so,_ a dispute having arisen over the trimming of a fence. Witness gave evidence in the recent case when the deceased was prosecuted for cruelty to a pig. Gregory, when in a rage, was of violent temper and was then apt to ill-treat animals. On several occasions members of his family had sought witness s protection from the deceased. Witness went home about 4 p.m. on the Friday and remained there till Saturday morning when he was informed Gregory was missing. Witness believed he would turn up again. Albert E. Bruce, caretaker of the Rosedale Mills, said that on the Friday Gregory, whom he knew well, came over to have a talk for some time. Witness offered to cut some of the long grass round the deceased s farm if Gregory so desired. Gregory promised to send over a scythe, but it did not come till the Saturday mornDavid Ladbrook, a stockdealer, of Invercargill, gave evidence that he last saw the deceased alive on the evening of January 27 last. The deceased then discussed the recent prosecution and also his daughter s contemplated marriage. He was up against” the marriage, and said life was hardly worth living. Witness was aware Gregory kept poison about the farm. Gregory often expressed a fear that he might become insane and have to “go up the line.” When the deceased mentioned about doing away with himself witness, having heard that so often, paid little attention to the remarks. Witness, who said he knew the deceased perhaps better than anyone else, did not think from his knowledge of the man and all the circumstances that there was any suggestion of foul play in question. To Mr Meredith: It would be very difficult to find a rifle in the bush there. Detective Robert Lean, said that on Sunday, January 29, accompanied by Detective-Sergeant Hewitt, he instituted inquiries regarding Gregory s death. Witness detailed his search of the locality where Gregory was found, but no rifle could be found. The bullets in the deceased’s body were of a very soft type. Constable Hill said that on January 31 he handed the jar containing the stomach of the deceased to the Government analyst at Dunedin, whose report witness handed to the Coroner. At the conclusion of the evidence, Mr Meredith said it seemed clear Gregory took his own life when probably worrying both over the prosecution for cruelty to the animal and the fact that he was losing his daughters services on the farm. He was a man very highly strung. The Coroner: There is no doubt about that. He was in a state of high tension when he left the Court on the Wednesday. A verdict, as mentioned above, was then returned.