THE KAPONGA TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8149, 5 July 1906, Page 2

THE KAPONGA TRAGEDY.

CORONER'S ENQUIRY. . Tho inquest concerning the death of John Rollins, which occurred on Saturday night, was hold in the Commercial Hotel, Kaponga, on Monday afternoon. Mr C, E. Major, Coroner, presided, and the following jury were empanelled :—Messrs P. W. Buckingham, T. Sargeson, E. Mills, F. Oliver, C. S. Crawford, and F. Gapper (foreman) Detective Sidells, of Wanganui, conducted the case on behalf of the police, and Constables Redican an I Carroll tvere also present. Charles Sollicker, a Swiss, who was in custody, was present, and the ease was watched oa his bohitlf by Mr Wake. After viewing the body the jury returned to tho hotel, and David Whitesido Maclagan, a duly [uahded and registered medical practi doner, residing at Kaponga, being sworn, said he was called by Carl Schieker to see deceased on Saturday, •June 30th, at 10.30 p.m. Witness arrived at the house about 1L p.m., and found deceased unconscious, with complete paralysis of all limbs, with troubled breathing, and rapid irregular pulse. Witness at once recognised t.hat deceased was suffering from compression of the brain. On examining die head he found behind, and aboat I the left car, an irregular wound about ; li inches long, with considerable ' swelling around tho wound, ile could , not feel any fracture. Nothing could , be done for deceased, who shortly i afterwards died. Witness made a post mortem examination in the usual ;uelhod, and tound a depressed fracture underneath the oxternal wound, and within the skull he found a large clot of. blood pressing upon the brain. Death was due to pressure on the brain of the clot of blood, and the depressed fracture. To the detective : Death must have been caused by a violent blow with a ijlunt instrument. To Mr Wake (couusel for the accused) : The accused was very much upset and distressed when he understood the nature of the blow, and its probable result. Joseph Sterna, a milker for D. F. Fitzgerald, said he met Kollins on the

road on Saturday, and be told witness that he was going to Kaponga. Witness arranged to go also, but said he iiad first to put on another copper of turnips. Rollins went with witness to the house. Albert Ulrich was also ,vith him, and they all met the accused. Witness went into the house to got a post card to show Eollins, and also a photo. When he came out the accused md Rollins irere growling, but not very loudly, about another post-card. They .•ontinued to growl about a girl, and witness told them to stop, as he did iiot want thein to fight near his house. Witness turned round to lock tho door, ' .itul as he turned round he saw Hollins fall on his knees and then rise again. ' The deceased walked from the corner of the house and wiped blood from his ' cheek. Eollins said to the accused, " •' What sort of a fellow are you ?" * About a minute after he fell down and was shaking. Ulrich and tho accused 1 took him inside the house. He noticed '■ m axe handle in the accused's hands. 1 To Detectiyc Siddolls: Tho ac- '' cused had the axe handle when he went to witness' place. After the r, deceased was taken inside the accused s said he had hit liiui with the axe I handle, but he did not think it was s very bad. Both men were perfectly s sober. The two had been bad friends e 'or some time, but witness did not . know whether they had quarrelled beQ foro or not. e To the foreman : Witness did not 3 sec whether tho deceased tried to hit y the accused, and he heard no threats. i. To Mr Wake: At Christmas time II when accused went up to see Ulrioh's t . sister, Eollms threatened to kill the r accused. .. Michael Eedican, constable stationed n at Eltham, being sworn, said that in <_. response to n telephone message rei- ccived on Saturday night last he t . proceeded to Kaponga to Dr Macc lagan's house. He arrived there at h about a quarter to two, and after seeing the doctor returned to Sterna's wharc. He was shown the body of :t the deceased, and witness found that •> it was just commencing to get cold. x On examination ho found a cut on the 11 back of the head and over the left ear * % bruise. Had a conversation with c Steina and Ulrich, aud they told wite ness that the deceased and the accused 11 had a dispute outside the wharc, and u that tho accused struck the deceased n with an axe handle. They said that [ 1 tho row was between 7 and 8 p.m., aud r that Dr Maclagan was called in. 1 Witness then returned to the doctor's e house and found the accused m the s surgery. He took the latter into l - custody and took him to Eltham. He e stated the charge. Accused said he : - was very sorry for what had happened. ! " It was true that he had struck the a accused with the handle, but ho never intended to kill him or hurt him badly. ~ Accused said the row was over a sister 1 of Albert Ulnch's. 0 The jury after retiring some time, ? asked to hear Ulrich, who said that the accused and the deceased were fighting when tho deceased was struck. £ The following verdict was returned: r That Carl Sohicker, on the 30th day of 1 June, 1906, one John Rollins unlawfully did kill and slay, against the 0 peace of our Lord the Xing, his crown and dignity. ' A rider to the following effect was ' added : In the opinion of the jury f Carl Sshicker struck the blow thit * killed John.Eollms in dofending hiiu- ' self in a quarrel between John Rollins *' and himself. ? Sclucker was brought before the - Magistrate's Court at Eltham yester--1 day, and further remanded to the 10th 1 inst. On the application of Mr Wake, 1 lie Wiis allowed out on bail in his own 1 recognisance of £IOO, and two sureties '■ of £3OO each.