THE GREEN HILLS TRAGEDY.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 73, 25 August 1874, Page 3

THE GREEN HILLS TRAGEDY.

[From the Murray rind Hume Times, Aug. 4.] On Saturday afternoon, Mr B. J. Bartley, deputy-coroner, held an inquest at Green Hills, on the body of a lad named Robert Weston, aged seventeen years, who had committed suicide on the previous day in a most determined manner by shooting himself through the heart. The evidence taken was as follows :

Edward Smith deposed that deceased was his brother-in-law. On Friday, the Blst July, some pipes and tobacco wore stolen from his father’s store, and he accused deceased of having taken them, as he found the missing property on him. Deceased denied having taken them from the store, and said that he had won them at a rafllle in Wodonga. He (witness) spoke rather sharply to deceased, and told him if he did the like again he would give him into the hands of the police. He then left him. and went to kill some sheep. John M'Donald was with the witness all the time, and left with him to kill. Whilst they were engaged killing they noticed deceased coming down towards them with something in his hand. Not long after they heard a gun go off, but took notice of it, as deceased was in the habit of shooting crows. About half an hour afterwards witness, M’Donald, and Hausler were going to the slaughteryard to catch some pigs, when they found deceased lying on the footpath with a gun near him, also a piece of stick. There was a large quantity of blood round the spot. Examined the deceased, and found life extinct. Then sent for the police, Deceased was of a hasty temper, and at times despondent. John McDonald corroborated the evidence given by Mr Smith. Constable Alexander deposed to finding the deceased laying on his face. Turned the body on its back, and found a large wound in the centre of the chest, A gun and piece of stick were near the body. The muzzle of the gun must have been placed inside the shirt, as there was no hole in the shirt, but the inside was singed and not the outside. The stick lying near the gun appeared to be have been used to move the trigger. The gun had all the appearance of having been recently discharged. An exploded cap was on the nipple. Dr Rohner deposed that he had examined the body of deceased, and found a gunshot wound about one inch in diameter in the middle of the chest, which was very much blackened by the powder. Tl e top portion of the heart had been entirely blown away. Had carefully searched for the missile with which the gun had been loaded, but could not find it. Was of opinion that it was a bullet, and had lodged in some part of the neck. Deceased must have leaned against the muzile of the gun. There was no outlet made by the shot, Death must have been instantaneous.

The jury returned the following verdict : “We are of opinion that the deceased, Robert Weston, came to his death by shooting himself whilst labouring under strong mental excitement through fear of being prosecuted for theft, on Friday, the 81st day of July, 1874, at Green Hills, Relvoir West, We further find, with the exception of the gunshot wound, that there; are no other marks of violence on the body of the deceased.”