SHOOTING TRAGEDY AT HERMITAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 2 December 1931, Page 2

SHOOTING TRAGEDY AT HERMITAGE

W R WOGAN’S DEATH.

NOT’ SUICIDE.

INQUEST ADJOURNED ONCE AGAIN.

TIMARU, November 30. “I am satisfied from the evidence already given that deceased did not commit suicide, ’ nor is there any evidence at present for finding that deceased was accidentally shot.” In these terms the Coroner, Mr C. R. Orr Walker, further adjourned the inquest, which was resumed at Timaru to-day, on William Edward Wogan, a barman-porter who met his. death at The Hermitage on November 5 as a result of a gunshot wound-received whilst in his room with William John Thomas Whalley, a chef employed at The Hermitage. The Corooner adjourned the inquest until Thursday, and intimated that ft further adjournment, if necessary Would be made. .

The principal features of to-day’s evidenoe were the absolute lack of any suggestion as to how the gun was fired, ih’fc revelations of betting transactions ietw.ebn Wogan and Whalley, the conflicting statements of Whalley, and one ‘Witness-as to the position of the body after’ the v mishap, and the declaration of another, witness that Whalley had asked him, jf questioned by Wogan, to say that he had taken certain moneys for betting purposes to Fairlie, when such was.not correct. ■ ~W, .

SCENE REPRODUCED. The seen© at the room where the shooting occurred was then reproduced in Court- for experimental • purposes. Deceased was found sitting in an ordinary 18in high chair, placed between a table and s) settee, which were against the wall; The settee (produced) was made- of petrol. boxes, two being inverted .and the centre one laid -flat so as to form a seat, the whole being roughly covered with chintz. It.was on the settee adjoining the chair that the gun .wfls found immediately after, the! shooting. Police Inspector Bird occupied deceased’s place in the chair, Whilst the witness Hill . took up his stand several feet away with the gun.

i. inspector! Bird; Would it be possible or■;probable, -if deceased had . the rifle between j his legs and lifted it up to place it ion ythe settee on his left, that tEi. Witness: I see nothing oh the settee to interfere with the trigger. I have ■feried ■{s alli'Way ß ancl it .wiii not dis-bhvge-on. :ita-own volition.' I have bmnpebi with fill varying degree of force 'without result, ;The Coroner: Therefore the ; trigger mult have been caught by something? —Yes/.' - '. ’ '■. ..

Can you indicate any way in which the j wound could have been caused by accidental horizontal discharge, so as to strike deceased above, the ear?— No. y If - the hair fras not' singed the rifle ■Would : have’ been at least twelve to fouiteeii inches' away

AFTER THE SHOOTtNG. Charles D/igby Elms, licensee and manager of The Hermitage. Hotel stated, that Wogan - had been eleven "Thori'ths employed as d>ar-porter. He had found Mm. a first-class and-steady worker.. ;. On November o, about . 6.10 p.m.) witness heard a shot and shortly after saw Whalley and Wallace Williams,, the photographer, ; going into Wogan’s room. Witness said to Whal- ; ley:. ‘‘What’s wrong here ?” Whalley : ‘‘Bill's! shot himself.” Witness ‘examined the rifle and found it empty. discharged shell was lying on the jjjloori. fjhalf-ovay, ;t between where Wogan [Bat!and his bed. He had had the rifle ijin his custody for twelve months. The [shells would be automatically discharged as a rule, but not always. pVhen witness came m first . Whalley land Williams were holding Wogan up the wall. Wogan looked dead. ! With their help witness put him' on Jthe bed. ■ . _ ! The Coroner: Where would you. expect to [ find • the discharged shell P—probably, at the v feet of the one using the . gun, "but you can never depend on it. •. In -this /case, if .£he"igun ; was dis-~ Charged from the settee the shell might 'have gone, any where/ • !, Witness said the wound appeared Straight, with no singeing or burning. Wogan had never indulged in shooting. Whalley and Wogan saw one another ften. f The Coroner: ' Were they good friends?—l never took that much notice. With a. staff like ours, one day they ’fire all-friends and another fidSy they are. all fighting, so I never take any notice. [ Was there any discussion between Wogan And you regarding the bar takings- percentage?—None at all. , i; ! .The Coroner: Whalley states that Wogan called him in to tell him about this. —I recollect that Wogan had said something to me, about it, but I replied to him, “Jf t never gets any lower than that, Bill, it will do me.” The Coroner: There was no shortage >r anything ?—No. What was Wogan doing in his room it the time?—He should have been on luty arid so should Whalley. There was nothing to indicate that Wogan would take his life?—lt is the last thing in the world I would think

Did you know anything of any betting transactions between deceased and Whalley?—No.

Had you up to that tim© known anything against Whalley’s character ? No. He proved a good, conscientious servant to me.

NO REPLY TO QUESTION. Wallis Gr. Williams, a photographer at The Hermitage Hotel, stated that about 6.10 p.m. on November 5 he heard th© gunshot report. He proceeded to his room and there changed his socks and put his Bhoes on. H© was about to change , hiß trousers when Whalley came to him and said “Bill’s shot I” He may have said “Bill has shot himself,” but witness was not sure. Whalley said “Go to Bill.” Witness asked where Bill was, but Whalley did not reply, and began to walk towards the kitchen/ Witness again put the question, but Whalley did not reply. He followed Whalley to. the kitchen door and .wafted a minute for him. Whalley and he then went to Wogan’s room, “Whalley entering first. Wogan was on the floor in the corner against the settee with his head against the wall. Wogan’ s hands were by his side. They were empty. As far as witness knew Wogan had not then been shifted. Witness saw; blood on Wogan’s left side and collar ■ and on the settee. He was sure he did not see the rifle at the time. When later he first saw it after several people had been in the room, it was ..lying on the floor in the corner. In reply to Inspector Bird witness said he did not remember exactly what Whalley said, but it was something about Wogan having shot himself accidentally and to feel Wogan’s heart. They were only together in the room for a few seconds when Whalley . left him alone there. Witness waited a while and then went to his room Whalley returned and they tried to get Wogan on to the bed.

' Inspector Bird : - Are you quit© positive that when you first went jn the room deceased was on the floor? Quite. ■' I would like that noted. • A.-*- .... . v*,' •. . . Was Wogan dead When you put him on the bed ?—NO, his heart was beating Violently' and his pulse was moving. Did deceased ever mention anything w you about going shooting that day? —No. ..- ■■

What sort of disposition did Wogan have?-—He was of a funny, nervous disposition. I was good friends with him and I never knew him to have a row with ' Whalley. /

BETTING BUSINESS. Do you know if deceased did any. betting?—l know he had small bets. Was he partners-with anyone in this betting ?—He -was part hers with Whalley at times. - How jfong would it take you to unlace yoiir boots, etc.?—A good four minutes. ,

~ Whalley,, to witness : Did you hear mo/sing out to you immediately after the shot?—l did not hear.: Are you certain it wes four minutes before I: came to'you?—Yes. Are you certain that I left the room after we went in together?—Yes.

The Coroner, to Whalley: Do you wish to question Williams as to the position of deceased when he came into the room?!—No. He seems certain/

Reginald Digby Elms, a motor-driver, stated that several day 3 prior to Labour Day while walking through the kitchen at. The Hermitage, Whalley said to him, "If Bill asks you if you have taken any money down, say yes!”

• Inspector Bird: As.a matter of fact had WhalJey given you any money? —Not at that time. •

; What did you understand by Whatley’s remark?—l did not understand until. . . .

MONEY OWING

■ ‘Until •w’hsTri until "later. •' - What did you do then r—-I told Bill Wpgan what Whalley said to me and .Wogan told me that : he had given Whalley £lO to put on a horse. The horse did not start and the money was carried on to another horse which won. Wogan then said he was going ito try to get his money from Whalley. This was five days' before fhe shooting. Wogan appeared annoyed. Whalley, to Emis : Did I give you any money before Labour Day to put on horses?—Yes.

. Are you certain?—Yes. It was m an envelope addressed to the Gladstone Hotel. Do you remember me g’.ving you £1 to pSit on a horse called 'Monastic? Yes. When I was supposed to say those ■words to you I never mentioned anything about sending money down with “Alby” ?—No. Did you know he took money down. —Yes. How much ?—No.

You knew Wogan well. Do you not think if I owed Wogan money he would see me about it?—l should think he would. ■

The Coroner ; Have you any idea of

the amount due to Wogan on the dividend?—No. It would have been substantial?— Yes.

Whalley, to Elms: Are you sure I gave you money to take to the Gladstone Hotel before Labour Day?—Yes. The Coroner : To whom did you deliver the letter?—The barman at the hotel.

Whalley: You remember the Monday prior to the accident. Do you recollect me giving you £3 .to take to Fairlie for the Banks Peninsula races? —Yes ;in three single notes. When you were speaking to Wogan, did you remember him saying that 1 had backed a horse without telling him?—Yes. He did say something about it.

POLICE EVIDENCE. Andrew Mackintosh, police officer at Fairlie, stated that he proceeded to The Hermitage on November 5, upon receipt of a message from the manager, and arrived 'there about 1 a.m. He examined deceased and found a wound one inch and a half above the left ear. From the appearance of the wound it appeared as though the weapon used had been held in a horizontal position. He picked up an emprty .22 calibre she.il (produced) underneath deceased s bed. It was crushed, having apparently been trodden upon. There were no marks of ally sort upon the body. 'He found the rifle Unloaded on the settee. There was a stream of bldod on the wall, the top of which was 2 feet 1 inch from the floor. On the table he found a writing-pad. It appeared as though deceased had started to write a letter headed “Hermitage, Mount Cook, 5“ There was a mai'k of blood on the pad. The Coroner, to Inspector Bh'd: Have you tested this for fingerprints? —No.

I am certain there is a distinct fingerprint.—lt is not sufficiently clear.

It can be sent away to the proper authorities ?—— Yes.

. 'Constable M’lntosh . stated that a horse’s name was written on the pad, apparently in deceased’s handwriting.

' WH ALLEY’S STATEMENT. William John Thomas Whalley stated that he first went to Wogan’s room on November 5, when he found Wogan away at tennis. He went into the room to put away the gun and see the time. Witness- came back later and' Wogan was still out. Witness came in again at 5.20 p.m., when he measured Wogan for a pair of trousers and helped him to spell some words when he was writing some letters. The Coroner : Do you remember any of the words?—-Yes ; “waistcoat’ and “racquet.”

How would you. . spell racquet?— “Raquet.”

That is not the way he spelt it. It is the only word, that would require any spelling,.. is just a letter to have repairs made to his tehilia racquet. In ffiis letter he Spells racquet correctly. Inspector Bird i What was the exact conversation you had prior to the accident p—-He started to tell me he had tackved the “boss” over the dispute about the percentage in the bar. ; The Coroner: Elms states there was no dispute. ' Witness: Wogan informed me that he had told the boss that if Bob was in the office it would be all right. Wogan seemed to blame it on to the girl in the office, but stated that Mr Elms said that the girl was working ofit the figures all right.

, WHERE WAS THE.RIFLE? Inspector Bird: Where was the rifle? —Wogan had it between his legs, the last time I noticed it. He did not tell you that he had loaded it or knew how to load it?—No. ■ You were looking at him. Can’t you draw a picture of. what happened?— I have tried hard enough. I cannot say where the rifle, when I turned to leave, T

When did you next see the rifle? — .On the settee after we had got him on the bed.'

Then’ how did it get there?—l could not say. The Coroner : Did you touch if?—No. Inspector Bird : Did you touch that rifle? Now be careful. If you did, say so.—l was pretty well rattled but I do not remember doing so. If it was between his legs how did it get on to the sofa?—l could not say.

You really don’t know where the rifle was immediately before and immediately after the accident ?—No. The (first impression I got was that he might have been shooting at me. ; The Coroner : Why did -you think that ? . Had you had a quarrel ? About figures, for instance.

Witness said he did not think that deceased committed suicide, but accidentally shot himseif. ' Inspector Bird : You got money from deceased for betting purposes?—Yes; £6 arid £1 from a gir'l.

Did he seem annoyed about losing his money?—No. What is you opinion as to how deceased was killed ?—I have heard a lot of theories but none seem to fit in. Have you heard the theory that it was impossible for him to have done it himself?—No.

EXPLANATION WANTED. The Coroner: Do you realise that it is up to you to give some explanation ? You were the- only two in the room and Wogan was shot whilst you momentarily turned your back. He admittedly did not commit suicide.—l cannot say.

Do you suggest that Elms junior is deliberately telling a lie when he says you told him to tell ’Wogan you had sent money down when you had not?— I do- not remember saying that.

Is it possible you did say that?— Yes, it is. I would not like to say Elms was lying. You cannot account for- Wogan’s statement to Elms that he was trying to get money owed him off you?— No. That is not correct. »

Will you say that the blood on this writing pad it not off you ?—I cannot see how it could be.

Can you account for the fact that immediately before death he had written two letters, and was starting another, just getting as far as “The Hermitage, Mount Cook,” and a half-formed figure s?—He did not have the pad the fast time I saw him.

Was Wogan aware of a conviction against you?—No. At this stage the inquest was adjourned.

DOCTOR’S EVIDENCE. The evidence of Dr James Sutherland, who conducted the post mortem taken at Fairlie, was to the effect that there was no singeing, or burning of hair around the wound, which was cleancut and in his opinion had been inflicted by a weapon held horizontally, that is at right angles to the skull. .Several foreign bodies at the base of the skull, including specules of Cone, pointed to injury to the bones at the base of the brain. The cause of death was laceration of the brain substance and haemorrhage. Death would be practicably instantaneous. As to whether the injury was self-inflicted would depend chiefly on the position of the body and the instrument when death occurred.