THE BRAUMAN MURDER CASE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3997, 14 September 1929, Page 1

THE BRAUMAN MURDER CASE.

CHILDREN TESTIFY TO MANY QUARRELS.

lONUING OF 'WILFUL MURDER,

Dunedin, Sept. 11

Charged with the murder on August 7 of Annabell ‘Dorothy Dean Brauman, at iSt. Clair, William Henry Brauman appeared in the Police Court to-day. His physical condition was greatly improved since his first appearance after his discharge from hospital. .Over his left eye he wore a shade.

Mr. J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., was on the ben all, Chief-Detective D. Cameron prosecuted and Mr. C. J. L. White and with him, Mr. €. M. Lloyd, appeared for Brauman, who appeared to take little interest in the proceedings.

'The first witness was Dr. William Evans, police surgeon, who said that at) 8.30 p.m. on August 7, he proceeded to the beach at St. Clair and there saw the body of Mis. Brauman lying on the rocks on the sea wall’d side of the retaining wall. 'The body was quite warm and death had evidently taken place shortly, before his arrival. Blood had flowed from both ears, nostrils and the mouth. There was a smell of burnt powder. On August 8, he had made a post-mortem examination of the body. He was of opinion that the cause of death was shock, following a comminuted fracture of the base of the s'kull and laceration of the brain, caused by a gunshot wound. “B'ULLET MESSED BILLET.” Witness said he visited the accused at the Dunedin hospital at 9.30 p.m. on August 7, and made an examination of him l . There was ft small circular wound just above the left eyebrow and the skin round the opening was blackened.. There was a second wound on the left side of the neck. 'This wound was just below the angle of the jaw. The left eye was destroyed and the socket was filled with a clot. Both the left upper and lower eyelids and the left side of the face were swollen and discoloured. Accused appeared quite composed and rational and remarked. “The bullet went the wrong way.” On witness separating the lids of the right eye, accused remarked: “I can see with that eye all right.” Witness did not ask accused any questions. Dr. Dunne, house surgeon, said that at about 8.50 on the evening of August 7 accused was admitted to hospital bleeding freely from the wounds described. These were consistent Avith a gunshot wound, the bullet having entered just above the eye and having come out at the Mt side of the neck. His progress was quite satisfactory.

Richard Henry Brauman, salesman, said deceased was his mother and accused his father. On August 8, he identified the body of his mother at the morgue. He was living with his parents, at Nelson when he Avas live or six years of age. There Avere quarrels at that time, witness said. 'They later shifted to Invercargill. His mother left for Dunedin about 18 months ago. Prior to her leaving home, quarrels occurred during the day and also at night. ■ ALWAYS ANNOYING MOTHER.

His father was always annoying his mother and there was one quarrel in his sister’s room and accused ordered Mrs. IBrauman to leave the house at 10.30 o’clock. His mother stayed out till 3 a.m. and returned to Avit'ness’s room. His father came in and witness ordered him to leave his mother alone.

On tAvo or three . occasions, his mother had left accused’s room and gone to iler daughter’s room.' Accused had taken deceased 'to his room by force. On one occasion, the daughter’s room was barred by a chair being placed against the floor but accused removed the chair.

Chief,-(Detective (Cameron: Has accused said anything in the nature of a threat to your mother in your presence? ■ Wjitness: Not to her hut to the family. „ What did he say?—lf she did not retulm to him, he would “do for her.” That Avas said on three occasions, shortly after mother left home, a little over a year ago. Has be made any other statements? ‘That he would “do for her?” Avas that the extent of his threats?' —Witness said Avhen he saw his father in Dunedin, he told him he Avas up here on a holiday. His fathetr said it did not matter whether lie Avon the ease or not. He would “do for her.” His mind was made up. As far as money matters were concerned, deceased Avas not Avell off. OBJECTION NOT UPHELD.

Mr. White objected to this evidence but his Worship granted per"mission to Mr. Cameron to proceed. Continuing witness said his father did not supply his mother with money in Invercargill in August.

Did you see your father? —Yes, at the corner of Manse and Princess Streets at a quarter to five.

Weire you speaking' to him then? —No. He 'was in the company of some gentlemen and appeared in the best of spirits. He was laughing with his friends. Have you ever seen your father with a revolver? —No, he never told me he had one. Witness then identified his father’s writing in a lettetr (exhibited). Olive Dorothy Brauman, domestic servant, said she lived with her parents in. Teviot street, Invercargill, before her mother .left for Dunedin. Witness kept house for her brothers and father for a-time at Invercargill but a year ago she also came to Dunedin. She left home because her father ill-treated her.

.Mr. White objected but the objections was not upheld. ALLEGED SHOOTING THREAT.

Heir father threatened that he would go to Dunedin at Christmas time, alleged witness, to shoot her mother. At that time there was a rifle in her bedroom. She did not see accused with a revolver at that time. Her sister Phyllis, kept house after witness’s departure but she followed a little later and accused subsequently came to Dunedin? She recollected that when her mother, Phyllis and witness were going to the pictures with two friends, accused came up to them at Dawson’s corner. He ordered the young men away. Accused would not let her mother go to the pictures. She did not remembelr whether he made any threat to deceased on that occasion. Her mother and father -were standing outside .the picture theatre. Later in the they spoke to her mother and then went home. Her mother then left to catch the train to Mosgiel. She used to be in her mother’s company once a- week and every other Sunday, when deceased was relieved from her duties at Mosgiel. When the latter came to Dunedin, witness saw her frequently. On August 6, her mother was housekeeping at Cliff’s road, St. Clair and witness was at service close by. Shortly after 11 a.m. she saw her father in Cliff’s road. He seemed to witness, who was looking out of the window, to have a piece of paper in his hand and to be looking at the numbers of the houses. He was near to the house where'deceased was employed. 'She telephoned her mother and then saw her father go down Cliffs road and out of sight.

• August 7 was witness’s day off and she was in heir mother’s company from 10 a.m. to about 7.30 p.m. She met a young man named McMillan and a. friend, who had a motor car outside the gate of her mother’s place. Deceased was with witness. They went for a motor ride for half an hour and then returned to the esplanade, the ear being stopped at the foot of “’Cliffs road.

McMillan, her mother and witness alighted on to the footpath and stood by the railing .and the car was driven away, the time was then about 8.10. They remained by the railing and witness then saw her father who brushed past her back. He just went a few steps past. Neither of the young men had shown deceased or witness any disrespect after dismounting from the car. Her father turned and walked back. Witness was facing the sea. Accused grabbed her mother’s arm, saying: “You are having a good time.” He took out the revolver, placed it against her head '-and fired.

“I saw a flicked', screamed and ran up ICliAs road,” said the girl. “I saw my mother fall and go over the edge of the embankment'. After going a. few paces, I heard another shot.

“I met Air. Holland at the door of the place where my mother worked. When the ambulance came, I went down with Air. Holland, as I was afraid of being alone in the house. I then saw my father with a wound in his head.” Evidence as to the manner in weieh accused had followed his wife while she resided in Dunedin and how he had threatened her on numerous occasions was given by several witnesses.

Accused was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court,’ Dunedin. The formal verdict at the inquest was that Annabel! Dorothy Dean Brauman died at St. Clair on August 7, 1929 from shook, following a comminuted fracture of the base of the skull and laceration of the brain, caused by a bullet from a revolver wilfully discharged at her In- William Henry Brauman. ""