PAKARAE SHOOTING CASE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 306, 19 September 1908, Page 5

PAKARAE SHOOTING CASE.

" COLD-BLOODED ATTEMPT AT , , MURDER." ; FIFTEEN YEARS' IMPRISONMENT. (ill TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Clsborne, .September 18. In tho Supreme Court- this morning, before Mr. Justice Edwards, Walter Symonds was ' charged with feloniously shooting at Mary Agnes Petersen at Pikario on-June 9, with intent to kill. The prosecution was conducted by 'Mr. Nolan, Crown Prosecutor. Mr. Stock appeared for the prisoner, who pleaded not guilty. Evidence similar to that: given in the Lower Court was adduced. ' For the defence, Mr. Stock urged that prisoner had not fired with intent, but acted on the impulse of the moment in a fit of jealousy, being muddled with drink. The fact of his going to town the day before and purchasing the revolver was .'explained, as he required it in connection with the breakingin of horses, to accustom them to tho sound of'firinH. His Honour, in summing up, ssid there was nothing to show that the shooting was done'under an uncontrollable impulse. Accused fired the weapon after repeating the request he had been making for a fortnight: "Marry me, or give me back my money." It .was not only ,ono shot, but three, and the position of the wounds indicated that the shots wore meant to kill. Then accused was found on tho ground with the revolver in his mouth. A man acting on an uncontrollable impulse would. put the revolver into his mouth and blow his brains out, but accused laid himself out on the ground and waited for, someone to come. His subsequent statements not thoso. of a man acting in a fit of frenzy. . The jury retired at noon, and returned at 1 o'clock with a verdict of guilty, l and a recommendation to meroy. His Honour.' said the crime was one of the most deliberate and cold-blooded attempts at murder he had over had the ill-luck to try. Taking the most favourable, view of the jury's recommendation, he must put the prisoner where ho would be unable to attempt to murder this girl again for a considerable period. He sentenced prisoner to fifteen years' imprisonment at Auckland.