TRAGIC STORY TOLD

Chronicle (Levin), 17 October 1949, Page 4

TRAGIC STORY TOLD

PresS ASaotndtiah)

Planned His Own And Young Woman's Death

(Per

TE PTJKEj Oct.- 14. A .shooting tragedy at Te Puke on Beptember 8, Wheii ti young married woman was sliot dead tkrough a window of her home and her assailant kiiled himself with an autoamtic pistol, was ihvestigated by the coroner, Mr. II. Cuff, today. He found that David William Cutler Ooopef, aged 45, f armer, of Morrinsville, dled from a selfittflieted gunshot wound and that t Mrs. Mary Garrett Wightmore, aged 19, df Te Puke, died as a result of a Similar injury intentionaily inflieted by Cooper. Detective-Sergeant J. B. MeLean, of Rotorua,- gave evidenee of findihg six letterg written by Cooper, addressed to various persons and ready for posting. Most, if h'ot hll of them, Contained references to the impending death of iiiiaself and Mrs. Wightmore. One of the letters, dated Atigust 27, shid: "My last instruction is that the funeral expenses of both of us be met from my estate and, if possible, that we be buried together. " Bullet Hole in Window Witness said he arfived at the house in Cameron Road, Tfe Puke, where tiro tragedy occurred at 1.10 a.m. on i-'ep-tember 9. The house stood well baek from the road and consisted of a eombined living-room and bedroom and a eombined .wash-house and bathi-oom. He saw Mrs. Wightmore lying on the flopr of the living-robm and Cooper lying on his back with arms and legs outstretched. A bullet had enterfed Mrs. Wightmor's body about the centre Of the Chest and haa left through her back, There was a small • hole, apparently made by a bullet fired from outside the house, in oue pane of the l'ront window. On the garden outside the window. wilhess saw imprints of footwear which were later found to be similar to that vvorn by Cooper. It appeared that Cooper had seen IVfrs. Wightmore throtigh a space in the eurtains as she faced the window and had shot her from the outside. The lead from the bullet was found erabedded in the back wall of the room. The shell was not fonnd. Witness' examination of Cooper slibwed that a bullet had entered his body about the centre of ihe Chest aul had left through the back. It appearel that he had shot himself. A German Luger .38 automatic pistol, found on the floor by Constable G. M. Roberts, of Te Puke, contained one cartridge in the ehamber and four in tlie magaziiia. Mr. MeLean said that inquiries by the police sliowed that Cooper lirst met Mrs. Wightmore about 1946 when she was aged 16. She was employed by him to exercise liorses on his fhrm at Morrinsville until Mav, 1949, when she returned to Te Puke, where her mother Iived. On June 1, 1949, Cooper went to her mother's house and produced an automatic pistol before Mrs. Wightmore. He appeared before the Morrinsville Magistrate's Court on July 19 charged with being in possesion of tlvs pistol and was sentenced to one montb 's imprisonxnent. Mother's Evidenee Elizabeth Dorothy Willis, widow, of Puriri Aveuue, Te Puke, mother of Mrs. Wightmore, said her daughter had seemed happy and bright while working for Cooper. When she dame home in May she said Cooper wanted to marrv her and that he had threateuei to commit stiicide if she did not marry him. Cooper ealled at witness' house on June 1 to see her daugter. He pleaded with her to return to him but she refused. Later, while in the bathroom, he produced a pistol. Albert Holbrook Wightmore, aged 29, timber worlcer, said his wife, whom he married on June 25, had told him that Cooper was in love with her but that she was not in love with Cooper. Witness met Cooper once at Mrs. Willis' house. He told Cooper that they were to be married shortly and that neither of them wanted any more to do with him. i After Cooper came out of prison, witness' wife received two telegrams from Cooper. One said he wanted to see her as he had something to offer to her advantage. She replied, asking what the business was. The second telegram, received about ten days before September 8, said he would see her on the following Friday. His wife replied that she was not interested in any business and told him to keep awav or the matter would be placed in a lawyer 's hands. No more was heard of Cooper until September 8, when witness heard he was in town and inquiring where Mr. and Mrs. Wightmore was living. Two Shots Heard Leonard Alfred Harper, taxi-driver, of Tauranga, said he took Cooper from Tauranga to Cameron Road, Te Puke, at 7.50. p.m. on September 8. Ccoper was very nervous, appeared depressed and smoked continually. When he left the taxi in Cameron Road he paid his fare and told witness to return to Tauranga if he was not baek by 8.30. At 8.30 p.m. witness decided to wait another iive mintues and at 8.31 he heard a report like a rifie shot. About three minutes later, there was another report, this time muffled. He waited a few minutes longer and returned to Tlauranga.