FARM TRAGEDY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 33, 9 February 1933, Page 13

FARM TRAGEDY

SHOJ WHILE MILKING

WHIROKINO MURDER TRIAL

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) PALMERSTON N., This Day. -• When the Whirokino murder trial was resumed yesterday afternoon medical and technical evidence -were given and the jury then visited the scene of the tragedy. On the resumption thismorning Richard Easton, .father of the accused, gave evidence. He t said that he and his two sons were in the milking shed on the afternoon of the day of the tragedy, and as the result, of words between the two brothers toward the close of milking Jack, who seemed to be pretty wild, caught hold of Roy and shook him. -Witness called to them to stop.' Jack resumed milking, while Roy finished'a cow and left the shed, going toward the-house.' He appeared a bit upset. Witness • and Jack continued milking. : After six or seven minutes witness heard'the report of a gun, and Jack, got .up and walked across to the fence of the yard, putting his hand to his chest. Witness went to his assistance and then went to ring for a doctor. On returning* he found his son just alive: Witness saw Roy not running but walking quick'y by a cabbage tree away from the house. The gun (produced) was found not far from the cabbage tree. Roy did not return that night, but witness met _im next night two miles from home. Cross-examined, witness said that both boys shared the same bedroom and were always friendly. Roy never bore ill-will toward Jack and never showed signs of violent temper. r Further cross-examined, witness said that the tools were in the cowshed quite handy to anyone wishing to make an attack on another person. Witness thought that Roy. left on a cycle for Foston after leaving the cQwbail, sufficient time having elapsed for him to reach the house and change. Witness never discussed with Eoy what took place. ......

GUN EXPERT'S EVIDENCE,

S. T., Tisdall, gun expert, who received the gun from Easton _ place, gave technical evidence and also stated that, a -cartridge case found near the cowb.ail had been fired from the gun. The indentations on the cap of, the cartridge case corresponded with the striker of the gun. The shot had definitely taken a downward course. The ground outside the cow yard was'about one foot lower than inside,, and if the person who fired the gun was standing on the ground outside the cow yard, witness failed, to see how the shot could have taken the direction it did if the gun was accidentally discharged. . The' muzzle of the gun had to be four feet off the ground, a,nd pointed in a downward direction. ' If the person carrying the gun had tripped and-fallen and the gun was accidentally discharged, it would either have been discharged into I the air or into the ground. The gun had to be cocked before being fired. It had fired perfectly under test.