WOMAN SHOT DEAD AT WEDDING PARTY BY HIDDEN SLAYER

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 9, 1 April 1927, Page 9

WOMAN SHOT DEAD AT WEDDING PARTY BY HIDDEN SLAYER

STARTLING GISBORNE TRAGEDY

(Special to THE SUX. )

GISBORNE, To-day A guest at a wedding celebration last evening, Mrs. Queenie Eleanor Pettit, died in the arms of Dr. McSweeney. Two shots startled the party into horror-stricken silence. A lacerated left arm and wound in the unfortunate woman’s chest revealed the effect of the hidden assailant’s aim.

he tragedy occurred at a house jn Hirim Street, a little after S o’clock, when Mrs. Pettit was talking to a .nend in the dining-room. Vac shots came from a window, and the victim collapsed into the arms of Dr. Me-

Sweeney, who was also present, and died at once. One bullet, which was flat-nosed, tore the muscles of her left arm, and the other enterei her body under the right breast. A third shot was heard, and the victim's husband, rushing outside, met the murderer at the front door. The man had blood dripping from his forehead, and a gun was in his hand. He was saying: “I’ll fix them; I'll si cot them.” Mr. Pettit took the gun from the murderer, who ran on to the road and disappeared. The police were communicated with, and searched the scene. Ten minutes later a fourth shot rang out, and two men coming down the street found the murderer with his brains blown out, and a shot gun beside him.

The dead man was identified ns George Edward Nowell, aged 25, an Englishman, who had been in the Dominion for two or three years, and had a farm at Waikohu. During the past two or three months he had been living in a town boarding-house. Mrs. Pettit was the wife of a wellknown stock agent residing at Wainui Beach, and was 35 years of age. Police investigations were prosecuted this morning, when further details of the tragic occurrence were made known. The most important feature of the new evidence is that Mrs. Oman, a young lady for whom Nowell is presumed to have mistaken Mrs. Pettit, was actually in the room when the shots were fired.

Besides Dr. McSweeney and Mrs. Pettit there were present in the dining room Miss Holmes and Mrs. Oman and the bride whose wedding the party was celebrating. Mrs. Oman was seated behind the table in an angle of the room, sheltered from sight of anyone peering in at the window .while Miss Holmes was further out into the room.

When encountered at the front door by Mr. Pettit, the murdered appeared determined to enter the house, declaring hew ould finish them both, presumably referring to Mr. James Oman and Mrs. Oman. When tackled and deprived of his weapon he turned nd ran. The cement walks about the house bear tell-tale signs of his progress after his attempt to take his own life at the side of the bunglow, a curious detail being that the trail led from the point where the shots were fired out to tlie front gate in a straight

line and then back to the door. The unsuccessful attempt at suicide must have left a substantial wound, as the bloodstains were frequent, Nowell having bled freely. The rifle which Mr. Pettit wrenched from him ws covered with blood. BRIDE’S STORY JEALOUSY OF MURDERER THREATENED TO KILL Press Association GISBORNE, To-day. The rifle used was a Westinghouse magazine, which came into the hands of Nowell during service with the British Navy, he having secured it at Sebastopol during a visit there. Nowell’s body, when found, lay on the right side, with a shot gun under his legs and lightly grasped in his right hand. The whole front portion of his scalp was blown away. Though too deeply shocked to give a connected narrative, the bride gave the police information that Nowell had been friendly with her, and had endeavoured to make her accept his company. Some days ago she intimated to a relative that Nowell had threatened to do for her if sFie married another man. Mrs. Pettit was a daughter of Mrs. Jane White, of Hastings, and sister of the late Sir James Carroll. Her husband was stock agent for the firm of De Pelichet, McLeod and Co. NOWELL’S HEAVY LOSSES WIFE IN ENGLAND GISBORNE, To-day. Nowells was a native of England and the husband of an English girl. He came to New Zealand three years ago taking up property in the Waikato district. The venture however proved disastrous, the losses amounting to some thousands. His wife left him about three months ago with the intention of proceeding to England, whither he was to follow. Mrs. Pettit leaves a family of three young children.