THE MAORI HILL TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 423, 4 February 1909, Page 5

THE MAORI HILL TRAGEDY

-:TROUBLE;;BETWEEiSr HUSBAND ! .::.('( l -;v(;:v : !;:;;';v,;;wiFE.;-i--,/'.v;;\-' ; ((((;-( , ; : (W;>rEVrDENdE; AT THE INQUEST;I f;• JVr . : '■. .m : (By. lELEqaiPii—press /,asso.ci ation.) ■,'■; '}:':" ■'■■; ; (; :: -^ : ■■'.^■■ v buned'in;( : February , (3;/ j ; ■v.The mqiiest on .the(body of(Samuel Lewis Brooksi'/who ; at 1 '; Maori :• Hill on Monday (night,-opened to-day'.'/- ! '- •-..':"■ ,'■'■"■■'■'; '■' '.''.'::^lizabeth'.'i''Margar;et : .'';Ca'meron^',) : inoiliher-iii--law(qf deceased, said, her (daughter(lad. been •m'arried':to deceased''for: , ; about 'seven years , . They.:lived.together for about,;twojyears,; but. duririg-.the : remaiuing'(uve;.yearsi lived(separ-( atoly'. ,■ Deceased, ■ who-was aiflreman on ; the Maheno,' 'missed, his passage' at' :,Wellirigton about January-19, (and returned' to Dunedin. ;Mrs'.': Brooks; was ■ at r that'".times in Auckland, ■and last' Saturday she-came 'down "to Dune-;dui'.'(:;:v'ifter'-''tea'.on';■ Monday 'nigh't angry words : passed: betFoendecea'SDdaha; his. mfe. .Mrs;/Brooksiwas asking : deceased : for:a ring of,:hers;- ..Deceased, .using .ati. oath,' refused to give iitiV ;Mrs. ..Brooks■ bnvhaving it,-.and .witness: went'otit to ,try : to- make ; peace between: them/, i.Deeoased ■ said, to; his 'wife :(• '"I , will'.divorce.you," and then ■■'stated he .had : beon■ to' , ' see • a 'solicitor that day. , : Her daughter replied that hoV could divorce-.her as sue never.intendedioiive with,him again. He then' threatene'd.to' strike, lier, and she retaliated (witli'-'..a (sheering' remark, , , upon ; which (ho. struck her and.pushed-her against the,' scullery \bench: '■ Deceased', then struok her several, times (oh :the.head,(arid : she , made 'efforts'"-to(r protect her,(face...((Witness.;wont into, (the , • kitchen] I and asked. hen husband' to" separata , .;them., ■;■ He. fefused,':saying' he( .would notvinterfere'; between . ; man. and -wife.':., Witness, then (went back. :to (the: 'scullery, . and .three., revolver (shots -we'reVfired.. Artor/a •fourth (shot fired .deceased-fell. :•:.:'%'

'Dr.(Hastings' said idea'th. was :duo to a bullet-wound. -'..Witness' did!:not(think .the fractures, present in (the head could'all have been.'caused 'by the 'bullet, but the fall ,would account.for them'.' :.,,/. .■..'■'. ' : V - <'

. : " Evidence; was ■ also given' by : David Cameron, husband of/Mrs: : Cameron:: y Notwith-; standing .that this witness was in, the kit-' ohen during the whole progress: of the quarrel and-.whilo the.shooting• was. goin^'on, he made no effort'to interfere .or assist,, but sat calmly, on the-sofa/. Hie reasons for so doing;werey.that .he-.was frightened—that anybody would be—and it was" only when the; whole business ; had subsided that 'he ventured into the scullery. 'In the course of. his evidence he said he heard three revolver shots fired in quiok.succession. He, remained: where■ he was,. as:he--was 'frightened, and "had : .more - sense ; 'than; to -run- into-the mouth, ,pf 'that.' '!'-. Witness, went' into the .scullery, when the.shpoting was over and the noise. subsided.' : He hoard shots and : scroaraint;; and :strug£!ling )r but throughout-he /.re- , . mainod where he'was.'. ~.,.:..'■.; ; :, Sub-Inspector Norwood ;stated that Mrs. Brooks .was.in'a private hospital.. Tho bullet had penetrated'her cheek, and had como out just under. ; the. eye. ;No one was allwe'd to:see , ,her, and;she would not be available for the; inqueßt; for four days. ■. The inquiry was. adjourned until Monday. ; '...;■. •;■ ..