ALLEGED SHOOTING CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6064, 30 December 1897, Page 2

ALLEGED SHOOTING CASE.

♦ AEEEST OF A WELL-KNOWN HORSE . TRAINEE. [Per Pbbss Association.! DUNEDIN, Dec. 29. S. J. Mercer, a well-known horse trainer, was arrested this afternoon on a charge of shooting with intent a man named Edward Brown. The affair appears to have first started at the Tahuna Park trotting meeting. A Mrs Brown, who keeps a confectioner's shop, charged Mercer with enticing her daughter away, and struck him on the nose with her umbrella. She was ejected from the course. Shortly afterwards the daughter-in-law of Mrs Brown attacked Mercer v/ith her fists, and she also, wasejected. Mercer, who had a young lady in his dogcart, said to be Mrß Brown's daughter, then drove away and was hooted by the crowd. Edward Brown, son of the first woman who attacked Mercer, and husband of the second, then left the course and went to Mercer's house, accompanied by a man named Clifford. The door was opened by Mercer, and the men started fighting in the passage. Mercer slipped into a bedroom and procured a small revolver, almost a toy, and, it is alleged, shot Brown in the head. Clifford, meanwhile, had gone for the police, and, on returning, both Brown and Mercer were brought to town. Mercer was locked up, and Brown taken to the hospital, where it was found that he had three wounds in the head, one in the temple, one at the back of the head, probably where the bullet came out, and one behind the ear. Brown, who bled a lot, is to be operated upon, and until that is over nothing can be said as to his condition. The affair took place in the presence of Mercer's adopted daughter. Later. On examination at the hospital of Edward Brown, alleged to have been shot by S. J. Mercer, two punctures of the scalp were found, one probably a "bullet wound. The punctures were not of the same size. The doctor did not observe any wound behind the ear. This may probably have been a braise. Brown's condition is noi; considered to be serious. Mercer is said to have admitted striking Brown with a revolver about the head. Mercer is a J.P. DUNEDIN, Dec. 30. Mercer has been remanded for a week, bail being allowed, himself in -6100 and two sureties of .£SO each. Brown is weakly, but his condition is not considered dangerous.