ROSS SHOOTING

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1932, Page 5

ROSS SHOOTING

EVIDENCE HEARD AT POTTER’S BEDSIDE.

William George Muir, who is under arrest iq connection jvrith the 'Ross shooting .affair was -taken from the cell at the Poke© Station to the bedside of the injured man at the Westland Hospital,, where ’s Court proceedings ’ were opened by Mr W. Meldrum S.M., yesterday afternoon. . Th 0 accused. -was charged that, on September 8, 1932, ai S Moss, he did attempt to murder one Athol Crowe Potter. .

Mr O. J. P. Sellers, of Hokitika, appeared •as counsel for' the accused, Muii ’ ; ■

Dr B. N. Wilson, Medical Superintendent of the Westland 'Hospital, gav© evidence, to th©, effect that Potter was a patient under bis care in the hospital, and that., at th© present time he was mentally and physically able to give evidence with regard to how lie came by his injuries. Witness stated h© • had examined Potter and had found a puncture tte'ar the left groin, such as could haye been caused by the entrarice of a foreign body aim* liar to a .22 bulleted Th4. : patftsiit bad been X-Rayed and . the X-Ra.y,haddis»-clas'ed a foreign objc ; ct «imilW to .. A; .22 bullet. ' 'I

The injured man, Athol C, Potter, giving evidence, A®id he wa< 39 years of age, and single. . He and a friend named C. R. Highet had been prospecting for gold for ■ some' months together . at Totara, eighteen miles from Ross. They had visited Ross about once/ to every four weeks, and on these visits had made the acquaintance of the "accused. -On the night ot .September 7,Highet and witnessed come into Ross from the claim, arriving at about 11 p.m. They placed .their swags 'in a ‘bach belonging to a Mr Peebles, whose permission they had to use the bach. After placing their swags there they went to the (hotel, the accused entering it about the same time a* they did.' . . “Accused joined in their company and ithey “shouted” drinks for each other. They had one round of drink* the three of them “shouting.” The drink - 1 consisted of two medium beers and a medium shandy. They, all left the Aotel together, either just before or just after midnight. On leaving .the hotel they"'fold Muir: that: they'.-had. taken Peebles’ bach, and he said he would come along and ?ee it. Accused went with them to the bach, and Highet and witness commenced to make up their hunks. ' “Muit then said that witness was hiding something from H'ghet. nefo asked him what he was referring to, but Muir would fiofo W ™ AW a UHI« w H?i ordered MuiP out of the bach, and , wen t. About ten minutes later they heard Muir outride. He cubed out; “Com© here, Alex! I want y«ul” (referring to witness). Witness and Highet called out to Mhir to go away, but he kept calling out. Witness then opened the door, and -v ent out, Highet closely following. Muir said h© wished' to speak to Alex confidentially, but that he could not do so with Highet there. “Witness then went over to Muir, who was 'standing^at .the.opp^fo of '•the path, and-' he said to-Muk: “Wliat do you want?” Muir replied: “You are hiding something from your mate! Why don’t you tell him?” Witness askeT Muir again what lie was referring to, but could get no sense out of him, . and he fold’ the accused ~ that if he did not get away, h© would kick him on th© behind., Muir then!;.; rushed up a path towards a fence, and witness followed about' four' paces' when he saw , a flash and felt h© was hit. in«: the left. side. \ ‘ f; . He knew h© was. shj>L, The accused-, was about 'twenty feefsway from witness when the flash : fome. Witness did not see a gun. The gun could have - been up against the fence and bton picked up by the accused when he had rushed back to the fence. There was nobody else near Muir. when the flash came, as 'far as iwi.tness , could say. ■Highet was nearer the bach, and was behind witness when the bullet struck him on the left side frbm t-he_ front..

To Mr Sellers: His’ acquaintance •with accused consisted of the fe w times he had met him, when Highet and witness had to Ross,. On these occasions, he might hpre spoken to [accused for a half an hour at . a time. There hud been Ho words between ' accused and witness prior to the incident. To the Magistrate: Witness knew of no reason why accused should fire at him. 'j\ %/ , The Court then.&udjopr.fted^.yaccnsed being further remanded.