OPEN VERDICT IN ASHBURTON CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19238, 27 November 1930, Page 16

OPEN VERDICT IN ASHBURTON CASE.

MAN FOUND DEAD WITH RIFLE ALONGSIDE HIM. An inquest into the circumstances of the death of Albert Janies Blee, aged twenty 3-ears, who was found dead on his father's farm at Ashton, on Tuesday, with a bullet wound in his forehead and a rifle lying across his left leg, was held before the District Coroner, Mr R. Clark, at the Ashburton Courthouse yesterday afternoon. John Pomeroy Blee stated that his son resided on the -farm He last saw him between 8.30 and 9 a.m., when at breakfast. He milked the cows as usual that morning and appeared to be in his usual good health. Witness did not see him leave the house with a rifle. About eleven o’clock he was turning a mare and foal into a paddock when he noticed his son on the ground. He immediatel3 r went over and found him lying on his back with the rifle across his left leg. He was a good living boy and had no financial worries. Witness had never heard him say anything that would indicate that he had any intention of taking his life. He occasionally took the rifle with him to shoot magpies, which annoyed his dogs so much that the latter were afraid to follow him. Witness had always been on good terms with his son. To the Coroner: The rifle was lying with the muzzle pointing away from the body. His health generally had alwa>'s been good. “In Usual Good Health.” Stanley Richard Blee stated that he last saw his brother about 8.30 a.m. going into the house. When witness spoke to him about the horses a few minutes before, he was in his usual good health. His brother would return through the paddock where he was found after he had turned out the cows and horses. He had never mentioned anything about taking his own life and there never had been any differences between witness and his brother. His brother previously had the rifle, which belonged to witness, and understood how to use it. Helen Winifred Blee stated that her brother came in for .breakfast with hei father after the milking had been completed. He ate his breakfast as usual and* appeared to be in his customary good health. The rifle was kept in the house and he sometimes took it out with him to shoot magpies. She did not notice him with the rifle that morning. She had heard him remark that he was not feeling well enough to play tennis, but otherwise she had never heard him complain. Constable T. Round stated that when he arrived on the scene the body was on its back with the left leg drawn up and the rifle lying across it, with the muzzle pointing away at an angle from the head. The rifle was a semi-auto-matic which ejected the shell after digcharging. No empty shell could be found. With Constable White he had tried the rifle that morning on the centre of a lawn and no trace could afterwards be found of the ejected shell. The bullet entered deceased’s skull and came out at the back of the head. The Coroner stated there was not sufficient evidence to show whether the wound that caused death was accidental or intentional, and in view of all the circumstances, he returned an open verdict.