SHOT WITH A PEA RIFLE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 115, 9 February 1920, Page 4

SHOT WITH A PEA RIFLE

/ 0 On Saturday morning Mr. W. G. Eiddoll. S.M.. held an inquest into the circumstances attending the death of a lnairied man named Alfred Croxton litehett, who himself with ft pc«i*nllo just bsforo midnight 011 Thursdny, while lying in bed at his residence, 4(i Nairn a«'eet> Fitchet.t. who had been removed to the hosnital. died in that institution at an early hour on Friday morning. Edith Maud Fitchett, widow of the deceased. stated that her late husband was n labourer, and was born at Brooklyn forty-one years ago. He went to bsd on Thursday at about 9 p.m., and was then the worse for liquor; 'Witness went to bed about 9.15 p.m., and was asked by her husband to go to his room. She refused. and lie said if she-did not come he would blow out his brains. He had ofton made that threat, and witness, dirt not take any notice. He neyer made use of that threat when lie was sober. About 11.45 p.lll. she heard the report ot a gun, and it at once occurred to her that probably her husband had eliot himself She immediately went to lus room, ,-ind found him bleeding from the head and unconscious, and with a pea-rifle between his less. Her husband had been in bad health for many years, and frequently complained of a pain in his head. , ~ Dr. Eobertson, house surgeon at the Wellincton Hospital, said tllat Fitchett was admitted to the institution at 1 a.m. on Friday, and was bleeding from a wound near the nose. Thwo was evidence of a severe laceration of tlio brain. The man died about 3.40 a.m. from shock Stio to laceration of tlio lyrain caused bv a bullet wound in the head. 'Constable Hunt, of the Mount Cook Station, who removed • Fitchett to tlio hospital, also gave evidence. Tlio Coroner's finding was 111 accordance with tho medical evidence.