The Alleged Attempted Murder Case.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 74, 21 September 1894, Page 2

The Alleged Attempted Murder Case.

1 Thursday, September 20th, 1894. '&!i&j : oj/im Mr Brabant. S.M. ' . -■ -/ As announced in our issue of yesterday Jamee Coleman was committed for trial for attempting to shoot Alfred Hannett on the 16th insUnt. Following is the conclusion of the evidence:— .- .. .■ :-i : -.\.; ■:: : v.\'\'. J. J. Tuohy deposed : He was a -; on Tuesday the 18th instant, at 12.10 am. was in the Feilding Court house, when he was informed by George met the witness FUvell outslae and in cbnse^uWce^bf the inioraiation that person gave him went at once to the Empire Hotel, where he searched all the ground floor for the aocnsed without finding him; returned to the street and proceed^' to the b«b¥ premises of the hotel ; on 'reaching the gate at the back retorned to the front of the hotel >^ ing in the door of the j^ssage looking into the street; did not know. him previously, asked him if be had a revolver, and he replied " Y»s, here it is" ; the revolver produced is the same ; accused said '"/I fired at a man named Hannett ; he picked up abifr stone and threw it at my; head. I • ducked ' my head and i^e' stone went over me. I then drew a revol. ver and fired at him. I did it in self defence. He has ruined two homes for me " ; witness took accused into a sitting room to search him ; accused "I'll give you all I have on me"; found five revolver cartridges in accused's possession ; they fit the chambers oi the revolver taken from Aim ; he said " You'll find the balance of tho 50 in a bag " ; found three open letters on him, one written in pencil (the letters produced), two. bills, a gun cartridge, two pocket knives, match-box, wire garter and 3s 6d in silver; on leaving the hotel accused asked. fora small bag, which *heleft behind the bar ; in: this baft .witness found 44 revolver cartridges^ in a small box; when witness found accused he was on his" way in from the back yard of the ' hotel ; 'found in the revolver an empty cartridge case (matching the loaded' cartridges); the chamber also showed rigns of having recently been used ; accused • has been in custody since. This was the case for the prosecution. - . » ' The accused, on being asked if he had anything to say, replied that he would reserve his defence. His Worship .• thought' then was sufficient evidence for a prim* facie case, and accused would be committed to take his trial at the Wanganui Supreme Court on Tuesday the 25th instant.