EASTON IN COURT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 408, 17 December 1932, Page 5

EASTON IN COURT

(Press Assn.-

YOUNG MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER OF BROTHER PRELIMINARY HEARING

-By Telegraph — Copyright)

Levin, Thdday. The preliminary hearing of the charge of murder of his brother, John Spencer Easton", at Whirokino on November 22, was preferred against Allen Roy Easton to-day, before Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M. Senior-Sergeant • Dinnie deposed that he could find no fingerprints on a gun picked up about 100 yards from the cowshed. Richard Allen Easton, father of deceased, said accused would be 17 years of age in May. On the day of the tragedy witness and his sons had milked 21 cows, when Roy said to Jack that he had better milk another before starting to separate. Jack said that witness and Roy could finish in plenty of time, but the latter repeated his remark, whereupon Jack brought in another cow. Roy said something to Jack which witness did not hear, but Jack immediately got up, went into Roy's bail, and shook his brother by the shoulder. Witness intervened and Jack went on milking. Roy finished the cow, emptied the milk, and went away. He looked as if he was crying and was thoroughly upset. Witness saw Roy going through the fence towards the house. "Get a Doctor. I'm Hurt" Witness said that he and Jack continued milking for six or seven minutes, and then came the report of a gun. Jack got up and walked over to the yard fence with his hands to his chest. He said, "Dad, you had better get a doctor. I'm hurt." Witness ran to a neighbour's house to telephone for a doctor, and when he got back Jack was dead. Witness saw Roy running away. Later witness picked up a cartridge case about six feet from the cowyard fence. Witness said there were two guns and two rifles in the house, but there was only one shotgun cartridge left. Roy did not come home that night. Next afternoon witness saw him near the Whirokino Bridge, and told him to come home. After walking along a little way Roy said, "How is Jack?" , Witness told him that he was dead. The gun found near the bails had been recently repaired, and about 50 cartridges had been since fired. Witness fired three of these and one misfired. Condition of the Wounds Dr. S. J. Thompson detailed the condition of the wounds as observed at the post-mortem. Sidney Tisdall, arms expert, deposed that from marks on a post in the . cowbail it was evident that the shot had been fired from between the top and second rail in the cowyard fence at a distance of about ten yards.