Inquiry Into Shooting Tragedy

Chronicle (Levin), 12 September 1949, Page 4

Inquiry Into Shooting Tragedy

Press Association )

(Per

TAURANGA, Sept. 10. Eyidence that his wife had known Cooper. for about thre'e years and had been. employed by him was given by jfUbert Holbrook .Wightmore, aged 29, a tinib'er worker at Te Puke, at the inquest at Te Puke yesterday into the deatli9 of Mrs Mary Qarrett Wightmore, aged 19, and David William Cutler Cooper, aged 45, a farmer, late af Morrinsville. Mrs. Wightmore- was Bhot dead through the window of her home in the presence of her husband at Te Puke early ott Thursday night, and her alleged assailant, Cooper, after gaining admisBion to the house, killed himself with a bullet from an automatic pistol. Cooper, Mrs. Wightmore 's former employer, threatened her with a pistol just before her marriage, and waB later charged and sent to prison. When released he saw Mrs. Wightmore again," but she and her husband did not want anything to do with him, the hfisband of the dead womaa stated. Cooper attempted to gain adtoiesion to the house on the pretext of getting papers signed. but waa refused admissioh, Mr. Wightmore and his wife wOre sitting on the bed and N Mrs. Wightmore got "up and WfLlked towards the door. Witness heard a shot and saw his Wife fall to the fioor. She grasped herself across the chest and said: "Oh!" and then feil on her frbnt and side. 1 ^WitneSs heftrcL Cooper calling out: "Cpen the door!" "You have killed my wife. and noW I suppose you want to. kill me"; ioc/ ' said witness, Cooper replied fhaf he had no quaryel with, witnegs and again asked t.hat the door be opened, . Witness' gofe hold of a.small fire shovel and opened the door. Cooper was standing outside. He had ii pistol in his hand poiirted at Witness. "I was oll to pieees," Mr. Wight- r more-added. "I stood on one side ot ther door ahd Cooper etrode p'&eit into the room. My first thought was to tell Mary'S mother whdt had happened and I ran from the house." . David W'alto'r Charles Cooper, aged 19, of Morrinsville, stated that his father waer legaMy separated from his ■ mother. { ■ Tha inquefit wfte adjounied «ine |