Woman Acquitted On Suicide Charge

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 676, 30 May 1929, Page 9

Woman Acquitted On Suicide Charge

SHOT WITH RIFLE DECLARES IT AN ACCIDENT

Found some time ago, stretched full-length outside a farmer’s house with a bullet wound below her left breast, a 19-year-old woman appeared in the Police Court this morning on charges of J attempted suicide and theft of a repeating rifle. pHIEF DETECTIVE HAMMOND rogretted that Mr. Mood, for the girl, had elected to plead not guilty. because he had not Avishcd to * all any evidence in the case. The young woman had bee in the case. Th.e young woman had been employed in the city, but went out into the country, where she had stayed for a week- She had arrived on a Sunday and on the following Sunday she had been fouud with a bullet wound in her chest, lying at the door of a farm-house. A rifle, which was identified as the property of the people •with whom she had been staying, was discovered nearby with a misfire cartridge in it. The girl’s clothing was burnt with powder and she persisted that it had been an acicdent. During the first four or five nights she had slept at the farm-house where she was supposed to be staying, but there was no Avav of telling where she hud spent th<* i other nights. “It. appears that she j slept in a hay-stack near the farm I Avhere she was found.” said the chiefdetective. The girl at one time had i lived in the locality and was then j going with a boy avlio lived in the ; house rux*r where se was found. Mr. Moody said that, despite the most rigorous cross-questioning, the girl had maintained that she had Avounded herself through accident, “I cannot say that I am convinced.” said counsel, “but there is a doubt and the court should dismiss the charge. As for the theft, it was more trespass. The girl was quite prepared to go home with her mother.” The. chief-detective called Detective O’Sullnau, Avho had taken a statement from the girl in hospital. She had admitted that she had bought a box of ammunition from a country store. She hod taken the rifle from the house where she was staying and had gone shooting with a young man. The accident had occurred shortly after her companion had left her. the statement concluded. Mr. O’SulliAan said that he had been unable to trace the young man in question. The girl was known to have made attempts to borrow firearms front other people in the district. “There is not.ihng to be gained by carrying this any further." remarked Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.. dismissing both charges. On the application of Mr. Moody, the girl’s name was suppressed.