TRAGEDY AT AUCKLAND.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13941, 29 June 1909, Page 3

TRAGEDY AT AUCKLAND.

A MAD GERMAN. MARVELLOUS ESCAPE. Per Press Association, AUCKLAND, Juno 28. A German who went under the name of L. AY. Homer, and who was boarding at a. house kcot bv Mrs Phoebe Cor"u/n, Campbell* Road, next the JRoyal rOak Hotel, on Sunday morning shot j M*s Cornish. She raised her left hand as she saw the revolver pointed at her, and the bullet crashed through her forearm, missing her body. A second shot struck Mrs Cornish on the left temple, but the bullet glanced off the bone, and Komer then turned the weapon on himself, and put a bullet through his own head, deatli ensuing. Mrs Cornish, though suffering great I pain, is not fatally hurt. Komer js not the real name of the suicide. .He (\yas a well educated man, and is believed to have been well. connected in Germany. His mind was evidently ' unhinged. He had shown great fondness for one of Mrs Cornish's children, but owing to his constant grumbling and disagreement with tne others, had been told to leave the house. DETAILS OF THE SHOOTING. There were only two boarders in Mrs Cornish's house, George Barrett, and the German, who went under the name of Romer. Barrett says that at breakfast on Sunday morning Romer was dull and morose. After breakfast he kept going in and out of the house, and was heard to ejaculate' " Gladys wants a mother." Later, Mrs Cornish said to him, "Mr Romer, I will not have you cross-questioning my children about my movements." Nothing further was heard until two loud reports rang out. Barrett quickly made his way towards his door, which opened into the kitchen. On looking out he found himself surveying the smoking muzzle of .a five-chambered revolver. He retreated and shut his door. Then" he heard Romer walk down the passage and enter his own (Romer's) bedroom, from whence shortly came a third report. Barrett then left his bedroom. On looking for Mrs Cornish he discovered her" in. great pain in an outhouse with a splintered forearm and a wound in the left temple. Fearing that Romer would again appear, he hurried her down the yard and across to a neighbour's. Medical men and the police arrived shortly.

That the deed was premeditated was proved by finding a note on the diningroom table in lead pencil as follows: — "I know too much of Mrs Cornish's doings now, for she has plotted now for some time by trying to injure my character, and therefore I commit this deed; sooner death than disgrace, my life has always been pure. My real name is not Koiner. —Signed, R." llomer, it is alleged, had previously stated that the German Consul knew all about him. On a chest in bis room is painted in large letters, "A. von M. ' He was believed to be an exofiicer in the German army, receiving a liberal allowance from his relatives.