THE LATE SHOOTING CASH.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2141, 5 January 1881, Page 3

THE LATE SHOOTING CASH.

VERDICT OF WILFUL MURDER. An inquiry was held at the Hospital at 3.30 yesterday afternoon, before Br. Coward and a jury, of whom Mr William Wilson was chosen foreman, touching the death of William Rerrison, who was shot by Walter P. Gibson at Tempkton, on the afternoon of Christmas Day. The Coroner explained the oaso to the jury, who then retired to view the body. Mr John Holmes appeared to watch the case on behalf of the accused man Gibson, who was brought np in custody. Mr Walter G. Walker produced the deposition of the deceased man, Kerrison, which was taken on December 27th last before Mr Richard Westenra, J.P., on oath, detailing the circumstances attending bis being shot. Jane Rinley, wife of Joseph Rinley, deposed that she lived with the deceased man, W. Rerrison, for over four years. Her maiden name was Jane Cochran. She knew the prisoner Gibson, whom she saw near Rerrison's house about 7.30 o'clock in the evening of Christmas Day. He was standing close to the gate. She went with deoeased towards him. Did not remember whioh spoke first, but believed that prisoner said " Good evening." They replied "Good evening," and went close to the gate and opened it. Prisoner asked Rerrison if he wonld have anything to drink. After hesitation Rerrison replied "Yes. What have you got?" Prisoner then went four or five yards off, and took a flask of brandy from the fence, whioh he handed to Rerrison, who put it to his lips and then returned the flask to prisoner, who then handed it to witness. He then took it again, and drank thb rest. The flask contained about a glass of brandy at first. At this time prisoner was inside the gate. They all three stood together and had two or three words of a friendly nature. Deceased then went inside, leaving prisoner and witness talking together outside. Shortly after deceased's sister, Charlotte Rerrison, came out towards where they were standing. Prisoner advanced to meet her. He wished her a Merry Christmas. She epoke to him, but witness could not catch the words. He proffered his hand to her, but she turned away and walked towards the house. Prisoner stood a few minutes with his hands in his pockets looking after her. At the time he looked very pale and trembling. After that he returned to witness, and remarked that he was not sorry for her but for the poor ehild. Witness asked prisoner why he did not take the child. He replied, " Tou heard me ask for the child, and she would not give it me." Witness replied that he could claim it and put it out or take care of it. Rerrison returned again and had a conversation of a friendly nature. Prisoner afterwards asked him to drink again. Witness said, "No, ho has knocked off drinking, after two or three days, and I do not wish him to take any more." Rerrison replied that he did not wish for any more drink. After this prisoner said that as it was getting late he must be going. Witness aßked him where ; the reply was, he did not know. They were all on the road by this time, when he shook hands with both of them, he going towards Templeton and they in the opposite direction. He kopt looking back. Deoeased said, " We had better watch to see if he comes back to that girl." Witness and deceased went close into the gorse fence to watch accused. After going a distance he stood at a gate and looked over it, and after a minute he turned back again to Rerrison's gate, he halted there and called out Charlotte's name two or three times. Rerrison then called to witness to come out of the fence, as prisoner had a revolver in his hand. Prisoner had pulled off hia coat. Witness then asked him to go up the road for a walk, pretending not to see the revolver, which he tried to hide. He replied—" No, Jane ; no ; I don't want to do you no harm; stand off. I'm done for; I'm done for; I'm oopped." He went up the road, in front of witness, towards Rerrison, but on the opposite side of the road. After going ten or twenty yards he returned towards witness and pointed the re. volver at her head, but quickly dropped his hand, repeating that he would not shoot her, as he had nothing againßt her. He passed and returned again, and onoe more raised the revolver at her. About this time Rerrison came out of the fence towards prisoner, who, when within four or five yards off, aimed the pistol at Rerrison and said, " Yon are the cause of all this; I will have my revenge." Witness was then between them, and held up her hands and cried out, " Oh, Walter, have mercy on him; for God's sake don't shoot him." As witness spoke the shot went off, and deceased staggered behind witness, who, on looking round, saw him just going through the gate. Prisoner then stepped baok a few yards, aiming anothor shot in the direction taken by deceased, and fired. Witness then went towards the gate, prisoner in the meantime retreating, with his face to her. As she turned the third shot went off and whizzed past her ear. Sho then turned and caw prisoner trying to run up the road. He was not the worse for drink, and called out, "Hold on, I'vo got two or three more in store." After that Bhe went in to deceased, hie sister calling out, " Come in quick, Bill is shot." Deceased was lying on the _ floor. He was unconscious and frothing at the mouth. In reply to a question as to where he was shot, ho put his hand to his left breast. Witness looked and found a wound there. He could not reply if he was shot elsewhere. It was about half-paßt eight when ho waß taken from the cottage to the Hospital. The distance of deceased from prisoner when the shot waß fired was about four or five yards. By the Coroner—About two years ago prisoner took deceased's sister away. Rerrison auked him what authority he had for it. Prisoner replied ho was married to her. This oreated ill feeling between fchom. Deceased's sister finallylleft Gibson on the Wednesday before Christmas Day. Cross-examined by Mr Holmes —There was no appearance of drink on prisoner at the time. He was excited when Charlotte oame out with the child in her arms. Witness oould not hear what passed between them. Charlotte came back to them of her own accord, saying that prisoner had threatened to take her life. Till then they thought they were married. Charlotte Kerriion deposed—She was the

sister of deceased, and unmarried ; know tho prisoner; had lived with him from March, 1879, and had a child by bim ; (the left him on December 22nd, 1880, and returned to live with deceased ; did not see prisoner nguin till Christmas Day, at tho gate of her brother'p. house, when she refused to shako bands with him. fjrhig witness's further evidercj corroborated that given by Jane Kinley.l Cross-examined by the Eoroman —Prisoner appeared excited; she had no idea of the cause of it. Before they separated they had a misunderstanding; they had quarrelled, which led to her leaving him. Did not- think he ever threatened her. He was fond of the child, and his manner was generally kind. By a Juror—Deceased had advised her to leave prisoner. William Garrard deposed—Ho was a gun maker in Victoria street. Recognised prisoner by seeing him in his shop on Christmas Evo to purchase a revolver [produced]. The prioe was £3. The prisoner said he would call again, which he did about half-past ten on Christmas morning, when it was purchcoed by prifoner, as also was a certain quantity of cartridges, and, at bin rcqucs', witness showed him hoy to charge tho revolver. Prisoner wanted to know how far it would carry, and witness said that it would kill dead at 50yds. Ho was sober on both occasions. The reason assigned for purchasing it vtbb for pig hunting. It is a five-chamber revolver. Detective Neill gave evidence as to she arrest of the prisoner at tho Papanui Hotel on December 26 b, when ho found five revolver cartridges on him. On tho 27th prisoner told him where tho revolver could be found, which was about a milo frcm prisoner's house. It was found exactly as described, under some dry gorae in a fence. All the chambers were loaded. , Dr. Campbell deposed to seeing the deceased at the hospital on the night of December 25th. He found a circular wound on the left breast, less than a 3d piece in size. He saw him twice daily till his death, and had that day made a postmortem examination. Previous to this tho bullet could not bo extracted, probing having proved that it had passed between the collar-bone and the first rib. The bullet (produced) was found lodged on the right side of the chest, just behind the collar bone. The cause of death was from an injury to one of tho main arteries in the neck on the right side, caused by tho bullet in its course, and although it did not penetrate the artory, but only bruised it, it subsequently sloughed; secondary hasmorrh&ga following. Death resulted from secondary haemorrhage and blood poisoning. This being all the cvidonce, the Coroner briefly addressed the jnry, who, after rotir- ; ing for a short lime, returned a verdict of " Wilful murder against Walter P. Gibson."