BOY’S CRIME

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1929, Page 8

BOY’S CRIME

MURDERED HIS BROTHER. AN EXTRAORDINARY ADMISSION. SYDNEY, January ‘24. An extraordinary story was told al an inquest held in [Melbourne on tin death of Jack Pope, aged seven years, who was shot through the heart at hi; home in Melbourne on Christmas Eve. Ilis brother. Phillip Pope;, ' aged 111 years 11 months, was committed for trial on a charge of murder. The mother of the two children. Cora Pope, said* that on the morning of Christmas Kve she had to go into the eity. She had seven children, and she loft, thorn at home. When she arrived back at 4 o’clock in the aifternoon she was met at the gate by one of her daughters, who told her not to go inside. However she went in and sin found Jack lying in the passage, and she was told that he had been shot. The gun which used to hang from a hook in the wall was still there. Phil lip. who had been undergoing treat ment for nervous disorder for some time, was given to wandering. The father said that the gun could easily have been reached by the boy with the aid of a chair. He had left the gun in a handy position because there had been disturbances among bis fowls. Hilda Pone, a sister of the two boys said that in the morning Jack and Phillip had a dirt fight. After dinner •Tack went into the passage, where he began to read a comic paper. Phillip asked him to go out. hut he refused, Phillip then went inside to get an ap pie. and when lie came out he said that he was going to the station to meet his mother. Hilda went inside, and saw Jack lying in the passage dead. She did not hear the gun fired. According to Senior Detective O’Keefe. Phillip made the following statement: —“About, a. quarter past 1 in the aifternoon Jack went into tlic passage and began to read a comic paper. I said to him: “Come along and have a game of hiding.” He said. “ Righto, as soon as I finish this story.” 1 said, “ Come now, or I will make you.” He said, 1 Aon non t.

ami I said. “I will.” I went into niv father’s room, stepped on to the bed. and took down the gun. I broke the gun, and I saw there was a cartridge in the right barrel. I. shut tlm gun and then pulled back the triggei. Jack was still sitting on the chair in the passage. I called out, “Hands up.” Jack stood up and 1 took aim at his left breast. He then stepped towards me, and l said, “ Stand biuk or I will shoot.” He said, “No, I won’t.” I pulled the trigger and Jack fell to the floor. My reason for shooting Jack was that he was always “skiting” that he could heat me at playing cricket, and when, he would nob come out and play 1 made up my mind to shoot him. Retween one or two months ago I told Detective M Phee that [ would shoot my father and then drown myself, as he had said that he would bash one of our heads in when he got wild.” The detective said that i.o "had come to the conclusion that Phillip was not mentally sound In a statement to the Coroner, Phillip said that he did not “break” the gun. Detective MThee and Detective O’Keefe said that they would knock his head against a wall if he did notsav that he “ broke ” the gun. He just looked down the barrel, cocked the trigger, and pulled it. He ran away because lie could not face his mother. He did not tell Detective M ‘Phee that he would kill his father. The coroner said that he would not he justified in assuming that the boy did not realise the seriousness of his act.