INQUEST.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 389, 27 April 1880, Page 2

INQUEST.

An Inquest was held on Friday last, the 23rd instant, before Justin Aylmer, Esq., Coroner, at the house of H. Buchanan, Esq., Little River, on Friday last, on the body of Frederick Thomas Butler, a child six years old, who was shot through the head on the 21st hist. The jury, being sworn, elected Mr A. D. Allen as their Foreman. Sarah Ann Butler, being sworn, stated that she was the wife of Thomas..'Butler * and housekeeper for Hugh Buchanan, of Little River. She remembered the morning of the 21st. She and a houtemaid named Annetta Maccioni, Were engaged in Mr Buchanan's bedroom, and, the deceased was likewise there. He was Btanding at the bedside, and the girl was standing with her back to the dressing table and facing the deceased. She had turned to leave the room when she heard the girl exclaim, '' I will shoot you Freddy." She. then heard the report of a pistol, and turned round, when she observed the deceased on the floor „ and the girl standing with a pistol in her hand. (The revolver produced is the one). She said "-Do not frighten the child," then looked at the deceased and found that he had been shot through the head, * as his brains were protruding and blood was in his face. Annetta Maccioni said quite coolly she had not thought tho pistol was loaded, and placed it on the table. She (Witness), carried deceased downstairs and called her husband. Annetta Maccioni did not offer any assistance ; she did not see tho girl raise any pistol, the girl had been about five weeks in the house, she had been given notice to leave as she was not strong enough. Deceased and she were very, good friends and often played together. Witness had heard the girl say she was of a revengful nature and would not mind sticking any one who did her an injury, -t In reply to the Jury, witness said she was not aware the revolver was loaded, but she knew that the revolver produced was on the table. She never knew of the girl playing with a revolver before. Mr Buchanan generally. kept one on his dressing table. Deceased died about 5.30 in' the afternoon of the 21st inst. she was alone with deceased from about twelve Ito two o'clock p.m., and had no means for sending for medical aid til! after three.- "" •Thomas Butler, being sworn, said he was, Mr Buchanan's gardener and deceased's' father, lie was on the 21st •working outside when he heard about noon and ran to the house . where ™ he had met his wife with deceased in her arms, lie had a wound'in his temple. II is wife sent hi.n to procuro, bandage and told him' that Annetta Maccioni had shot deceased. Ho took the girl to the « Police Court and gave her in charge, accusing her of shooting his boy. He then proceeded-to Mr Rroderick, Chemist, who immediately went to sco the deceased, ,\ \- and he had also sent to Akaroa for the -'"7"?' doctor. Deceased died about 5. p. m. ** Witness said he had never seen the re-

volver. He had had no quarrel with the girl, but had often spoken to her about her low language. . . . ■ Henry Warren Brodenck, chemist, being called gave evidence as to finding deceased with a mark a little above lii« temple and another at. the back of the bead, with tho brain protruding ; that he had applied the remedies in his power, and had recommended tho doctor to be sent °Kugb Dnncanson Buchanan stated that he knew deceased. He was away from home at the time of his being shot, but returned on the evening of same day, when he saw deceased. He knew the revolver produced, and had left it loaded behind he looking-glass in his room before leaving home ; it was a six-barrelled revolver and all the chambers were loaded. He did not think it would go off in anyone s bands without the trigger being pulled. He knew Annetta Maccioni, and had instructed the deceased's mother, hi* housekeeper, to give her notice aa he«id not think she was strong enough for her won,. He had loaded the revolver on the.previous Saturday on his way home, and had n aced it behind the looking-glass on Mom Say before leaving home. He had often left it unloaded. . ~ ~. In reply to the Jury, witness said Ins was th/ffrrt time he had left ho revolve loaded in the house. He hud placed > Snd the looking-glass -J should not Bee it. He had not told am one in the house that the revolver was loaded, and any person might have taken it up thinking it unloaded. W ian. Wil«» Smart constable, stated that lliomas Butler, fother ot the deed had, on. the 21st -at brought Annetta Maccioni to him, and given nei in cb™ accused of shooting h» boy. The SriSd to him that she had shot a poo foy,butftwa ß o..lyinalark > aa B bodKi not know the revolver was loaded She S she was as sorry as if she hero t were hfboJ'B mother; that "tbe boy had often played together v.itlto revolver, and It had not gone off ; they ad I en eating bread «.d treacle together minutes previous to the accident She would not harm a fly. f* ™*« nulled the trigger, but had merely picked fhe revolver up off the table, and on turnip wind it went off. Witness said he Mr Buchanan's house, and saw Leaned lying on a sofa Ho wont into tbedroenn with Mrs Butlc^who^owed ■him the revolver produced It tno ocen recently discharged. Mr Brodenck, chem Kin the «,.d he picked up the bullet. volver had been discharged. Ho .hot oil the other five for safety. To the Jury-lhe trigger of tho pistol is hard to pull. , , , Dr Gutnrie, being galled, deposed to being summoned to see deceased on the eventogofthe2lrt.and.on his amval at the house a casual examination d whtied him that death had proceeded iiom Srestothe head. He then gave the statement of results from his ponl mortem e»m»% to the effect that there were no external marks ol violence except to the head which he proieWial y described. He had no hesitation m attnfutii.g death to injuries resulting from die discharge of a firearm within a yery short distance of tho head of deceased. The Jury, after retiring lor a short con sulfation, returned with a verdict of '• Excusable homicide." The inquest lasted from one o clock tv seven.