BRAUMAN FOR TRIAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 766, 12 September 1929, Page 1

BRAUMAN FOR TRIAL

DUNEDIN MURDER CHARGE POLICE COURT CASE ENDS Press Association DUNEDIN, Today. Further evidence was heard in the Dunedin Police Court yesterday afternoon, when William Henry Brauman was charged with murdering his wife at St. Clair on August 7. Brauman was committed to the Supreme Court for trial and the inquest on the death of Annabelle Dean Brauman, which was taken concurrently, resulted in a verdict that she died from a bullet from a revolver wilfully discharged at her by her husband. ASHBURN HOLLAND, a company manager, said deceased had been housekeeper at the house in which he lived at St. Clair. Her conduct was exemplary, and apart from her children she received no visitors. William Black, ambulance driver, said that after arriving at the scene of the tragedy he stood by the accused for some time. Brauman said: “She ruined my life; she ruined my girl.” Detective Kearton said that on the way to the hospital Brauman repeated, “What a mother she was,' ruining my girls.” Constable Garnon, who had kept accused under observation, said the latter told him that he saw a motorcar pull up at the esplanade. His daughter got out, followed by a man who commenced to embrace her. His wife next appeared with a man, and their conduct was the same. He said to the man: “For God’s sake do not bring disgrace on my daughter,” and then everything went black. He did not remember drawing the revolver and could recall nothing until he regained consciousness in the hospital. Evidence as to the way in which accused had followed his wife while she lived 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 in Dunedin, and the formal verdict at the inquest was that Annabelle Dorothy Dean Brauman died at St. Clair on August 7, 1929, from shock following a comminuted fracture of the base of her skull and laceration of the brain, caused by a bullet from a revolver wilfully discharged at her by William Henry Brauman, at St. Clair on August 7.