ROTORUA MURDER BASE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1610, 24 November 1905, Page 2

ROTORUA MURDER BASE.

HOW A GIBBORNE BUSHMAN WAS KILLED. ENRAGED HUSBAND FIRES FATAL SHOT. AN INSULTING BRUTE. (Per Preps Association.) Aooklnnd, last nigbt. The trial of Andrew Campboll Oh a oharge of murdering Robert Hislop Rotorua was oommenoed to-day. The evidence for the prosecution stated that Hielop was shot by Campbell with a pea rifle on the night of October 26th. For the defence it was stated that Hislop was at oue tirno a boarder at Campbell’s house, but was asked to leave owing to hie conduct to Mrs Campbell. Binoo then, he had annoyed and insulted Mr and Mrs Campbell, Bonding tho latter disgusting letters. He called at Ike house on the night of tho tragody, and 1 , according to the evidence of accused medo a most insulting remark about Mrs Campbell, and accused then shot him, ana gavo himself up to the polioe., Witnesses gave accused a good character. Tbe case was adjourned.

£Special to Times.) Auckland, last night. Andrew Campbell, boarding house keeper a*. Rotorua, pleaded not guilty to murdering Robert Hislop, a busbmau from Gisborne, by Bbooting him through tho brain with a pea rifle. He was de* fended by Mr Martin. Tho fact of the shootmg was not dtsuoted, but gross provocation was alleged. James Henry Bastable, a baker, said deceased was dismissed from prisoner a employ, and after working at two other boarding faouse3, was engaged to deliver bread for witness. He went out on tbo evening of October 26th to play billiards

and met his death. He was between 30 and 40 years of age, measured 42 inches ronnd tbe chest, and was proud of bis build. He came to Rotorua for rheumatism, and had partly recovered. He appeared well behaved. , . - leaao Williamson, residing at the boarding house, said h 6 heard Hislop knock at the front door. Campbell opened the door, and said “ You get out.” Hrelop remained, and Campbell brought a pea rifle, and said, “ If you don’t go I » put this through.” Hislop replied defiantly, •• pat it through me.” Then a shot was fired, and witness rushing out, fonud Hislop lying motionless in the gateway. To Mr Martin : Campbell was an inoffensive man, but Hislop was quarrelsome aDd insulting, especially to Campbell’s wife. Once Hislop said to witness, •« We had a row, and broke up the happy home. Mrs Campbelljta no better than a who ■was a personal friend. Hislop used the same expression frequently after being dismissed, and used to haunt fcae vicinity of tbe house, often hanging over tbo front fence to insult Mrs Campbell if she came out, and shouting vile language for her to hear inside. f When Mrs Campbell put out the light in the front room and retired to the back, Hislop followed her round, and continued the insults. One evening afior Hislop had thrown a brick on the roof, he passed witness and said, " Good evening." Witness not replying Hislop made a commonplace remark, and witness retorted, -* Go .to hell! I don’t want to talk to a man like you.” This lead to a fight. Mr Martin : Did Campbell ever consult a solicitor concerning Hislop’s bebavoc 2 Witness: Once. Hon. Tole, Crown solicitor: Who got the best of this fight ? Witness : Well, Hislop. Mr Tole : Very much tbe best. Witness : Ob, yes ; I found him more than I could deal with. Mr Tole : He was bigger than you ? Witness : Yes ; in girth and weight. Mr Tole : What was the result of the consultation with the solicitor ? Witness': Nothing came of it, and this worried Campbell to think that a man could give unlimited annoyance, and he could get no redress. • Mr Tole : On the occasion when Hislop

wished you good evening, it was you who used bad language ? Hislop was quilt respectable ? Witness: Yes. . , Judge Edwards: That may be quilt excusable under the circumstances. A most respectable man might use thal expression nnder sufficient provocation. Mr Tole (to witness): Why should you bear him any ill-will? He bad done nothing to you. Witness : I had no reason. Hib Honor; I can give a reason. Thera were two factions, and the witness was ol the Campbell faction. Mr Tole: Then Hislop was a faction to himself. Did you ever give information to tbe police ? Witness : No. • Mr Tole: Why not ? Witness : I can give no reason. His Honor: I oan give a reason. He thought it was no business of his, Mr Tole: But it was his business. He was living in this boarding-house, and most insulting language had been need. His Honor: I don’t suppose he cared two Btraws. Mr Tole : If I were in a boarding-house I would not allow filthy language to be used. I would give information to the police. Mr Tole (to witness): Yon say when he was .nßing thee insulting expressions be struck matohes to Bee if you were on the verandah ? . Witness : Yes. < l Mr Tole : Why ? Witness : He probably wanted to make sure that he still had an audience; that he was not talking to an empty bouse or an empty verandah. v

Another witness named John Haddon said he took a police message to Hielc'p, warning him to stop sending letters to Campbell’s wife* Hislop was quarrelsome when drunk,' but on the night of his death he was sober. Dr. Wohlmann said the bullet had I penetrated the forehead, and traversed the j brain. A trephining operation gave relief, but did not prevent death. The vomit I smelt slightly of alcolhol. Constable Blake said that tbe prisoner while in custody said : “ This varmint Hislop has been annoying me and my wife for a month. He has insulted me and my wife both by words and by his behavior. He oame to Rotorua from Gisborne with rheumatics, and stopped with me at Edinburgh House. Y7hen he got well I employed him as boy in the kitchen, but lie got bo oheeky that I bad to pul him out of the house. When insulting me ! or my wife he was ounning enough to do so when there was no one else about. I spoke to the polioo several times about his

conduot, and on one occasion I had to get Oonstable Pratt to put him ontof the house. He came to my front door tonight while I was having dinner. I beard the children saying he was there. I went to the front door, and there was hia domoniaoal faoo, standing right in Iron of mo, and. that was the end ; of it Witness asked : “ Did not Hislop leave your door immediately you, asked him ?” and he replied, « No; at first he said he’d

bo —— if he’d leave the door, but when ho saw what I had in my hand he went down towards tho gate." Later on, to his own solioitor, prisoner, speaking of the deceased’s visit l , said'My wife had been telling me asbni Hislop annoying her through the day I throw down my knife and fork in a rage and loft the table, and went to the front door. Seeing Hislop there I got my pearifle, aud wont baok and eaid to the deceased: " Get off my premises st once, or I will put tho contents through you." Polico Sergeant Phair said that accused oarno [o hia houeo on the night of the fatality andl said: “I 'have shot that va r mint, I could not stand it any longer." 1 J

Constable Prstt said he was twicp called inghouso 8 ou * ) °f the Oampbells ! bpardTto prisoner, Andrew Campbell, was tba first witness for tho defence. He said he (Hislop) came to R 1 torna for the oure of rhoumaiiem in the legs, and bearded at wUno«s s We for nii.e w.eks. I bin he got >n arrears with pay. moot, and was allowed to remain bs kitelon boy, for bo had gone through his money, but wanted to remain [o Rototua a yew to tbQcqujjhly

rheumatism. Witness bobght him a bat tioket, and his wife made h'icn some flaunt clothing when his own beoamo oxhauslec Later on, Mrs Campbell oomplainod of hi behavior, and witnoss gavo him a week’ notice. His behaviour immediately bo came worse, and witness ordered him ti leave at once. He looked across at Mri Campbell, and said, 11 Oh, I’m to go, an I, and you are to stay, you old .’ Witness attempted to ejeot him, bui -■ Hislop. being a powerful man, held him by the arms, forced him against the wall, and used filthy expressions. Finally he left, and witness also went out on business. A few minutes lator his lilllo daughter oame to ask him to harry boms. He did so, and found Hishp again in the kitohoo, abusing his wlfo, who was Btaoding at tho opposite side of tbo table. Hislop was Baying, ” I’ll see you Jnt of this yet, you .” Witness Kiorad him out, but Hislop continued to stand uttering vile language. Witness struck him, but Hislop again caught him by the wrists and forced him to tho door, wboro ho challenged witness to fight, and gave a parting sally of oaths. Witness did not take legal proceedings because he I thought ho had insufficient evidence. I On-subsequent dates Hislop impudently I entered tbo house, and played oards with I the boarders, and witness got a polioeman I

to order him ont. Ho afterwards seDt ; of filthy letters to witness’s wife,bo after a caution from the police the) ceased. Htslop also constantly awailec outside the house to iosnlt Mrs Campbell when she appeared, and followed her in tbo streets. Ho twice told their little girl that her mother was a , and the girl came homo and asked them what it meant Witness frequently walked ronnd the house at night with a loadoi rifle, fearing that Hislop would set it on fire, as ho seemed determined to drive them out of Rotorua. The last complaint he .received from his wife was told to him at the

tea table on tbs night of the tragedy, and he sprang up in a rage, and declared, " This will have to come to an end.” At that moment his child came into tho room, ssyiDg there was a knock at the front door. He weal to the door, and there found Hislop, who said, “ Oan I see that old of mine,” meaning Mrs Oampboll. Witness said, •* Gel out of this.” Hislop replied, •* Pm damned if I will,” and stepped iD front of witness. Witness got his pea riflfi, and said, '• Do you see this?” Hislop shrank back for a moment, and then j straightened np again. Witness said, " Are you going to get oat of this ?” Hislop replied, “Ten damned if I am.” I Witness said, “If you don’t, I’ll put the oharge through yoa.” Hislop replied, '* You oan well do so." Then the I rifle went off Mr Martin: Are yon conscious of I having raised the rifle, or pulled the trigger ? Witness: No, lam not, although I mast I have pulled it. j Tbo Court adjourned till Friday morn-1 lug.