FRIEND SHOT DEAD

Evening Star, Issue 20051, 17 December 1928, Page 6

FRIEND SHOT DEAD

FOOLIHG WITH REVOLVER c [Pea Uvited Press Association] WHANGAREI, December 17. Henry Samuel Kodgley, bank clerk, who was the victim of a shooting accident on Friday, passed away at the hospital at 2 o’clock on Sunday morning. At the inquest to-day the evidence showed that deceased and another clerk, Grove, went into the bedroom of the resident officer, Potter, at noon on Friday, preparatory to leaving for lunch. Grove asked Potter to let him have another look at a Mexican; helmet lying on the top of the wardrobe. Kedgley put it/ on first, and then handed it to Grove, who was standing in the middle of the room, near the wardrobe, deceased being immediately in front of him between a mirror and the back door. Potter said: “All you need is a gun to make you into a real bandit.” With that he placed a revolver in Grove’s hand. Potter also said something about ‘ Put it to your hip.’ Grove did so, and remembered pressing the trigger, not realising (though he admitted he should have douo so) that the weapon was loaded. The revolver exploded, the bullet striking Kedgley, who was 2ft away. The evidence of several witnesses testified to the friendliness of the clerks, and the accidental nature of the whole occurrence. The coroner returned a verdict of accidental death,