CHRISTCHURCH SHOOTING FATALITY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 263, 2 August 1919, Page 9

CHRISTCHURCH SHOOTING FATALITY

DEATH OF ELEANOR, COVENTRY. Br Telegraph—Press,Association. Christchurch, August 1. At the inquest on the child Eleanor Coventry, ten years ,and eleven months of age, who died from a gunshot wound in the abdomen, Dr. C. A. Anderson, assistant house surgeon at the Hospital; stated that he saw/deceased at 3.30 p.m. on Wednesday, shortly after admission to the ward. She was suffering from a gunshot wound in the abdomen, and the • charge had gone.right through.the body, coming out through the back. Tho Coroner (Mr. Bailoy, S.M.): Could you say whether the wound was , selfinflicted, such as by pulling the trigger of a gun. Witness: No. I couldn't judge that, but the g'lii must have been right up against her body when it went off. The Coroner: In that case you can't say whether the wound was self-inflicted f Witness: In my opinioa" it probably was self-inflicted, but I cannot jiidge for certain whethor such actually was the case. The Coroner: What puzzles'me is how she could possibly have reached her hand down to poll tho trigger. ' j Witness: I don't think she could possibly have pulled .the'trigger with her hand. Possibly she may have pulled the trigger with one of her toes. The Coroner: I cannot bring in a definite vordict of suicide, because I'm not satisfied on that point. A constable who was in the room stated at this juncture that he had been out to the spot where deceased was found, and quite close to her was a garden peg which she may have hooked tho trigger off with. ■ The Coiioner: She must have been an ingenious child to have thought of that. The father of the deceased said he had not used the gun for about ten months. Ho was quite positive lie did not leave it loaded. The Coroner: Is it possible that anyone could havo borrowed the gun since •you last used it? Perhaps : your wife may have lent it to 6omeone. Witness replied that he was quite certain the gum had not been'lcnt to anyone since he 1 last used it. At this stage' Sergeant Stewart opened the breech, and a yellow cartridge case was ejected. Tho father said it was not one of his cartridges. He only used red cartridges. / He had never lent the gun, but (ho girl might have got the yellow-cased cartridge somewhere. The Coroner: This makes the case more extraordinary still. He said ho was, however, not satisfied that tho girl deliberately pulled tho trigger. In his verdict the Coroner recorded that llie evidence was insufficient to show whether the wound was self-inflicted or accidental.