A FEARFUL TRAGEDY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1050, 2 June 1882, Page 2

A FEARFUL TRAGEDY.

MURDER AT MIL ER’S FLAT BY A RELIGIOUS MANIAC,

(From our own Correspondent)

Roxburgh, May, 31

A shocking tragedy occurred at Miller’s Flat, near here, last suudav night between six and seven o’clock. A man named John Kitto went to the residence of his son-in-law, Joseph Roggiers and shot at him through the window with a single-barrel gun. The bullet passed through Roggier’s wrist and entered his chest going through almost to his hack. He lived for six hours after, and died in fearful agony,

iue screams of -Koggier’s wife attracted her brother-in-law, Peter Klongh, whom Kitto also shot at. The ball entered at tho wrist and passed out at tho elbow, severing one of tho main arteries. He is now out of danger.

After shooting the two men, Kitto came to Roxburgh and gave himself up to the po’ioe. He said that he intended to shoot six or seven other people, but losthieamn u. nition. Later on when informed of toe death of his son-in-law, Roggiero, he re plied “ Praise be to God.”

Some four years ago Kitto was an inmate of the Dunedin Lunatic Asylum. He was at that time, however, perfectly quiet and inoffensive in his behaviour, his delusion consisting only in a deep-seated grudge against tho son-in-law, Joseph Agustus Roggiero, who has now become his victim. Threats uttered by Kitto against the latter are recorded in the books of the institution, and Kitto was possessed by tho remarkable idea that Roggiero was the devil, an hallucination that probably accounts for his exclamation “ Praise he to God!” when iuf irmed of the fatal effect of his shot. Kitto was only detained a month in the Asylum, and was then dismissed as presumably; Tho iuq est was held yesterday at the house of Mr J. Kloogh, Millers Flat, before J. Harrop, Lsq., Acting-Coroner. After evidence had been taken the jury returned a verdict of 11 Wilful Murder” against the accuse'!, John Kitto. He was sent to Dune in, t ere t) await his trial at thenex ting of the .Supreme Court. The funeral of .the murdered man will take place to-day.