THE WAITARA TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 444, 22 December 1908, Page 3

THE WAITARA TRAGEDY.

Two Constables Commended.

Evidence at the Inquest.

Nkw Plymouth, Dec. 19

An inquest on the body of Mrs Klenner, victim of the Waitara shooting affair, was held to-day. After hearing lengthy evidence of the doctors, police and other witnesses, the jury returned a verdict that deceased met her death by revolver wounds inflicted by Dr Goode. A rider was added, stating that Constable Price did- his duty in every respect, and strongly commending Constable M’lvor for his plucky action in effecting the arrest.

Ida Klenner, aged eight years, daughter of Alois Klenner in evidence said she attended school last Monday, and left there for home about three o'clock, and got there in two or three minutes, going in by the front gate. She was just about to pass the front room window when she heard voices in the sitting-room. She went up a small bank and approached the window. Heard Dr. Goode speaking. Knew his voice well, having been under his care. Could not hear what was being said. She could not say that Dr. Goode was speaking loudly or angrily—he always had a rough voice She could not see into the room, for the window was closed and the blind down. After a little while she went round the house and in by the passage and was just by her own bed-room door wheu she heard her mother coming out from the front room. Her mother told her to go out to the hack yard and play. She could not see into the sitting room, and could not see Dr Goode. After she had been playing at the back for about five minutes she heard three shots fired in the front room. There was a little interval of a few seconds between the shots. She began to cry, thinking her mother was shot. She went up to the back door and ran back to the shed. Then she went to the front ol the bouse, and heard Dr Goode speaking in the front room, but she could not bear what he said. He said only a few words. Then she went to the back door again, and heard the front door slammed. Went to the front and heard her mother calling : “Come here, Ida.” Upon answering the call she went to the front room, and saw her mother lying on her back with blood running on to the floor. She saw a bullet lying on the floor. Her mother told her to run for her father, and she went to the shop, when she saw a man named Fitzsimmons, and told him her mother was shot. She told him what she had seen, and then went back with him to the house. From the time she got home !rom school to this time there was nobody about the house but herself and her little four-year-old brother, who was playing with her outside.

Giving evidence as to the arrest, Constable Mclvor, of New Plymouth, stated that he arrived at Dr Goode’s house about 6.30 p.m. There was a large crowd gathered outside the house. With four other men he went to the surgery door in Dr. Goode’s house. He entered the room followed by Chas. Stone and two others. Dr. Goode was in the room, and was moving towards the surgery door. He had a revolver in his right hand, holding it in the air and lowering it in a position to fire, when witness went towards him. Witness got under the doctor’s arm, which then came across witness’ shoulder. Something then dropped from Dr. Goode’s hand to the floor. The latter said: “ What do you want ? What in the name of God does all this mean?” Witness caught hold of him, threw him on the sofa in the surgery, and said: “You’re my prisoner.” The doctor was then, with the assistance of others, carried outside, handcuffed, and removed to the cell at the Waitara police station. Dr Goode’s clothing about bis neck and chest were covered with blood. He had no coat, waistcoat, or boots on. He was in a very excited state. The doctor was bleeding from a wound in the throat when arrested. Heard Dr. Goode, on the way to

the police station at Waitara, speaking in an irrational manner. His manner of speech was very excited, but not raving. It was more

the behaviour of a drunken man than raving. In the police station at Waitara, the prisoner asked why he had been arrested, and he was told that it was because he had shot a woman. Detective Boddam, deposed : Dr. Goode asked why he was arrested. Told him he had shot a woman that afternoon. He then became very excited, and it was quite evident that his mind was deranged, and that it would be wrong to charge him formally with the offence.

Cobstable Price, of Waitara, tated that he was informed that Dr. Goode had shot himself. I went to his surgery at about ten minutes to four o’clock, expecting to find him dead or wounded. The surgery door—a glass door opening on to the verandah —was about two inches open. I entered. Dr. Goode was standing by his writing-table. I asked him what was the matter, and he told me to go to —— out of the house. I told him I wanted to have a talk with him. He again repeated: “Go to out of the house.” The revolver was lying ,on the writing desk. He picked the revolver up and pointed it at my head, and said, “If you don’t jgo out, I’ll shoot you.” I asked him to put it down, and he again made use of the same words. He imwith the ideaj that he to shoot

as there was a table between ns. He had frequently seen the revolver on a book case in the surgery, but on this occasion it was on the writing table. Witness knew something of the character, temperament and strength of Dr. Goode. When under the influence of liquor, Dr. Goode had often threatened that he would get rid of witness in some way or other. When drunk, he was a very wild man. Witness smelt whisky plainly when he went into the surgery. Dr, Goode seemed have a wellbalanced mind when sober. But he had heard him say when he had been drinking that people were persecuting him. When in the surgery Dr. Goode looked very wild about the eyes. Wheu witness was arresting him, Goode said “Yon Price,” and something else. He distinctly remembered those words. He was raving wheu his wounds were being attended to. His conduct was more excited than that of the ordinary man.