RAMARAMA TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2587, 8 October 1915, Page 6

RAMARAMA TRAGEDY

■* T i THE INQUEST MRS. PERRY COMMITTED FOB ".. TRIAL • (By 'JPewinppb-—Vreja Ascoclatloa.) , Auckland* October 7. Tho inquest concerning thedeath, of John Thomas Perry, wlio was murdered ' atKamarama on September 25, waa continued to-day. Gordon M'Dowell, labourer, aged 35, residing, at Drury, knew deceased and also his : widow. , He liad been on friend-? ly-terms with: the latter for over twol years and gavo details 6f. the relationship.:.- ■ The' Coroner returned tho following verdict:—"l find that John Thomas Perry was murdered by being 'shot through the head whilo lying m bed in hishouse at Baroarania. .The ovi- ■ deuce, shows that tho muzzle ;of .'.the 1 gun from which the ; shot .was fired- was: hold'either against or within twb'feet.oß : deceased's forehead. The naturo of tho wound and the angle'.-at which-the shot ,wa-s evidently' fired renderi it most ,unlikely that 'the..personwho discharged tho gun: was at the time outside the ' room" inivhich deceased was lying.-.'.Tho eyideiice.shows that deceased's wife had' - for some, conside'rablb time .pist. been ,• improperly -intimate with- the• l witness . M'JDowell,. and had been partly on: that aooount' on ba<l terms with her husband, -.. and had also - spoken of leaving him. There is jio suggestion that deceased had'aiiy enemiesl , Mrs. Perry was in tho bedroom, .with' -deceased at the; time the shot, was fired, and it would have : <\ . been difficultifor.'any s other .person: to have left tho.Tbom,; which - was fillod -after the 6hot. had b&en - fij-ed; without having been seen or heard -. by her. The gun, of whioh one ■ barrel ■ had been recently'discharged, was found' •.* in tho lipuse. Tho evidence-shows. so W'as,'Mrs; Serry is concerned/ a combiiiation. of : . motive,;'opportunaty, and niearis; and aii absence of any evidenco tonding to :iibpHcate;.anybody else, but. , in; fairness.to herein view of 'the;fact' . that-, she now-stands charged with!' tie murder of the deceased, and'in viewalso' of tho fait; tliit ; . the evident* is circuinstaiitial and inferential, I do".not pro'pose, to find definitely ag.iinst'her, or to analyse the evidence in detail.- It is ;-' : sufficient to justify her - being • odminitted for trial, and- it is in the inter* . ests of justice that I'should.not make' . a definite • finding which might;, affecti the minds of the jury who will .t-rji ■ r Accused was: subsequently committed for trial. - ■■