A SINGULAR CASE!

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 532, 12 June 1909, Page 5

A SINGULAR CASE!

MEN'S MINDS "BECOME A BLANK." THEffl ACTIONS THEREAFTER. (BT TZIEQEAPH—PEESS ASSOOIATIOK.) Wanganul, June 11. A singular case has occupied the Supreme Court during tho past two days, the circumstances, as stated iu evidence, being as follow:—On February 22 last, two men, Amos Chatfield, and Frederick Garlick, left Ohutu for couple of miles distant. They were intimate friends, and Garlick accompanied Chattield at the latter's request. They intended to return home.in time to do somo milking, about eight o'clock at night, and Garlick led Chatfield's horse home," and declared that he had thrown . Chatfield i into the Hautapu River; Ho was evidently drunk at tho ■ time. He subsequently threatened to kill Mrs. Chatfield,' whom he wanted to come in a cart and look for her husband. Eventually Garlick got his gun, and, about ten o'clock, was shot through the shoulder, the bone being ehat tered. Witnesses declared that the wound was self-inflicted.' While Garlick was terrorising the village! a party had gone in search of Chatfield, and found him lying amongst shrubs some, fourteen feet down tho bank of tho river, tho! shrubs having stopped his fall over a precipice- of seventy feet. He was intoxicated when discovered, and did not wnken till after he had been pulled on to the-,road. The hats of both men were found lying on the road, and there wero marks as of a man having been dragged across the road to the edgo of 'the bank. In Court, Chatfield stated that when he and Garlick reached Taihape, they had some liquor, but left for home quite -sober, both being r,f temperate habits. Garlick bought a bottle of draught whisky, and this they consumed' while going along the road. Chatfield had two drinks, and then lost consciousness, knowing nothing more till awakonnd by his rescuers. Garlick, in giving evidence on his own bohalf, said that Cliatfiold got so drunk that ho fell off his' horse, iiml ho (GarliclO pulled him to the side of thn road out rif danger, and Chntfiold then rolled over tho cliff. Garlick tried to pull him "P. but could not, and then, at Chatfield's suggestion, went for a mrt nncl Airs. Chatfield. From that point his mind was n. lihnli, anil lie Hew nothing of his subsequent actions itt Ohutu. The jury found Garlick not guilty of intimidation and attempted suicide,' holdiitj: Hint.ho was not in n rational state of mind when tho oventn .happanod. ' Aociuod wan then discharged.