STRANGE SHOOTING CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 2 December 1907, Page 2

STRANGE SHOOTING CASE.

A CONTRACTOE'S STOEY. TEOUBLE OVEE MONEY MATTEBS, A sensational story was told in the 'femora (New South Wales) Police Court the other day, in a case in which Thomas Martin was charged with having, at Moonbucca, near Morangarell, on October 9th, maliciously shot at and wounded Herbert Williams, of Moonbucca. Williams, who described himself as a contractor, deposed that on the date in question he was walking from Moonbucca to .Morangarell, when he met accused, who had shortly before been dismissed from his employ. Accused, who was carrying a small Winchester rifle, called out, "Bail up!" Witness said, "What do you mean?" Accused replied, "I'll shoot." Thereupon witness cried out, "Don't do that, for God'a sake, whatever you do." Witness, continuing, said, "However, I ran for a tree. Almost immediately Martin put his knee to the ground and fired. The bullet hit me on the leg, and I fell to the ground. He rushed up to me and put his foot on my neck, then, pulling out a revolver, he said, 'lf I had missed yon with that I could have had you with this.' He then demanded my money. I pulled out my pocket-book and said, 'Here you are.'" Witness went on to say that accused took a cheque for £4 17s and a £1 note. Ho (witness) tried to get up, but fell back again, being unable, to stand. He said to accused, "Don't leave me here to die." Accused kept walking round and round; then he brought witness a drink of water from a tank half a mile away. He said to witness, "I suppose I'll get into trouble over this ?" and witness replied, "Spare my life, and I'll say nothing to the police about it." Accused ; then walked to Morangarell, and came back with a horse and sulky, and drove witness to Tcmora, where Dr. Cookson took an X-ray photo of the leg and extracted the bullet. Cross-examined, Williams said there had been a dispute over some money owed by him to accused. The cheque for £4 17s which accused took was the amount of wages due to him. After the shooting accused treated him attentively. He did not give information to the police, as he was afraid If he did accused would shoot him dead. He told the doctor and other people that the affair was accidental, because he was terrified. Eventually he made a statement to a police constable; which led to Martin's arrest. Accused was committed for trial at next sessions at Young or Cootamunijra.