THE WAITARA TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 305, 21 December 1908, Page 4

THE WAITARA TRAGEDY.

CORONER'S INQUEST. The Coroner's inquest upon the death of -Mrs. Klenner, of Waitara, was held 011 Saturday at the New Plymouth Courthouse, before Mr. 11. S. Fitzlicrbert, Coroner, and a jury of six—Messrs F. I'. -J. Bellringer (foreman), A. H. Arnold, W. X. Ewing, (i. A. Cornev, (J. M. Lepper and H. J. Gilbert. Mr. Wm. Kerr, Crown .Solicitor, conducted the injury, and Mr. \V. Wilkes, of A\ aitara, watched the proceedings on behalf of Dr. Iloode. 1 Alois Klenner, butcher, of Waitara, and husband of deceased, said his home was in Grey street; Waitara. About 2 p.m. on Monday lie weal to Tikorangi on business. On his way home he met one of his employees, named Joseph Fitzsimmons. In consequence of what the latter told him he hurried home as fast as he could. When he got to the gate the Rev. J. B. Brocklehurst met him and urged him to be calm. They both entered the house. 111 the front sitting-room they found witness' wife lying on the floor, with blood about her face and the front of her dress, llad a conversation with her. liiter, after the arrival of Drs. l'ooke and Claridge. his wife was brought to the New I'ly mouth hospital. (Remained with liis wife at the hospital until her death at 6.30 p.m. on the Kith inst. She died ill the presence of the matron (.Mis Brown) and himself, lie identified tin body as that 01 his late wife. Dr. Lea-

knowing his patient was witness' wife. Thomas G. Sole, Government surveyor, deposed that he had made plans oi tho deceased's late residence and surroundings. The plans were produced. Ida Klenner, aged eight years, said she was the daughter of Alois Klenner. and lived <"ith her at-Waitara. Attended school last Monday, and left there for home about 3 o'clock. Went straight home, and got there in two or three minutes, going in by the from gate. She was just about to pass the front room window when she heard voices in the .sitting-room. She went up a small bank and approached thi window. Heard Dr. Goode speaking. Knew his voice well, having been undei his care. He lived next dosr. Could not hear what was being said. She could not say that Dr. Goode was speaking loudly or angrily—he always had a rough voice. She could not sec into the room, for the window was closed and the blind down. After a little while she went round the house and in by the back door. She went down the passage and was just by her own bedroom door when she heard her mother coming

out from the front room. Her mother told her to go out to the backyard and play. She could not see into the sitting room, and could not see Dr. Goode. After she had been playing at the back for about five minutes she heard three shots fired in the front room. There was a little interval of a few second's between the shots. She began to cry, thinking her mother was shot. She went up to the back door and ran back to the; shed/ Then she went to the front ol the house, and heard Dr. Goode speaking in the front room, but she could not hear what he said. He said onh a few words. Then she went to the back door again, and heard the front door slammed. Went to the front and heard her mother calling: "Come here,, Ida." Upon answering the call she went to the front room, and saw her mother lying on her back t with blood running on to the floor. She saw v. bullet lying on the floor. Her mother told her to run for her father, and slit went to the shop, when she saw a man named Fitzsiininons. and told him her another was shot. She told him what she had seen, and then went back with him to the house. From the time she got home from school to this time there was nobody tire house but herself and her little four-year-old brother, who was playing with her outside. Dr. E, F. Fookes, of New Plymouth, gave evidence that shortly after foul o'clock on Monday he was summoned by Sergeant Haddrell to go to Waitaia. where a woman had been shot. He left for Waitara about half-past four. Wen 1

room immediately upon the right liano side of the front door. There were four people in the room—Mi's. Klenner lying on the floor, Mr. Klenner, Dr. Clariilge. and Rev. Broeklehurst. Mrs. KlennerV face was covered in blood, and the garments upon the upper part of the body were saturated with blood. Upon seeking the cause of the hemorrhage, he found two wounds—one upon the lower part of the left cheek, a little in front of the angle of the jaw, and the other in the centre of the lower part of the neck. Dr. Claridge anil the witness proceeded to clean the wounds, both of which were circular, and around both of which there were numerous black marks such as were generally associated with gunpowder marks. Around the lower wound, in addition to the black marks, there were blisters, as though the skin had been burned, and there was also a blister upon the point of the chin. The woman was suffering a great deal irom shock. The doctors decided to try and locate the bullets which had caused the wounds, but the hemorrhage from the wound ou the cheek recommenced briskly, so much so that they decided it inadvisable, under the eh cumstances, to proceed any further with the search. They plugged the wound, to prevent further hemorrhage, put au antiseptic dressing upon both wounds, and sent for a vehicle to convey the woman to the New (Plymouth hospital. The wounds had every appearance of having been caused by the discharge of a firearm at short range. At the time, on account of the evidence of further injuries to the neck, he expressed tlia; opinion that it was a hopeless case. He superintended the removal of the injured woman- from the house to the vehicle, and then proceeded to New Plymouth as quickly as possible, and tele-: phoned Dr. Leatham, medical superintends.lt at the hospital, so that no deiav miiht. occur.

| Dr. H. B. Leatham, medical superintendent of the New Plymouth hospital, stated that Mrs. Klenner was received at the hospital at about 7.30 p.m. on Monday. He attended to her wounds. He understood that the Mr. Klenner, who was present at the bedside or at the hospital practically the whole time up to her death, was the husband of deceased. The patient upon admission was quite conscious, but suffering severely from shock and loss of blood. She complained of pain in the left arm. in the neck, and the back of the shoulders. The left arm was paralysed, as regarded movements. Her speaking was clear, though the effort to speak and that of respiration were somewhat em* barrassed. He explained to her husband the necessity for immediate location of the wounds under an anaesthetic. He consented. Dr. Blackley administered chloroform, and the witness, assisted by Dr. Walker, made an investigation of the wounds. Drs. Fookes and Wylie were present. He found a wound just at the angle of the left jaw. The wound was about a third of an inch in diameter, circular in shape, and the skin surrounding the wound appeared to have been burned. Proceeded to in-

vMigate the depth of tin; wound. Passed ii probe downward, backward, and illward to a depth of about three inches, and at the bottom felt shattered bone, and what he thought to be the bullet. He then attempted to remove the bullet, but upon deep investigation there was such a gush of .blood from a large and deeply-seated vein that all efforts had to be directed to the stoppage of the bleeding. This was effected by inserting a gauze plug and firmly packing.

This incision was then partially closed. He then proceeded to examine another wound which he found m front of the neck about two and" a-half inches above the top of the breast-bone. The wound was similar in size and appearance to the first wound described. lie explored with the probe, and found there was an opening in the trachea or windpipe, and probably the gullet, lying directly behind, had also been penetrated. No bone or bullet could :be felt, for the patient's condition did not admit of deeper dissection being made, and it was decided by all the doctors present that nothing could be done for the patient. Restoratives were administered by injection, and sedatives given to Case the pain, which was very severe. He attended her from that time to the timo of her death, seeing her several times each day, and also by Dr. Walker and

other medical men. He told her husband and the sergeant of police that tliey considered the case a very grave one, hut not altogether hopeless, although it Was about as bad a case as one could have. Tho patient took a change for the worse during the aftornoon, and he then informed the husband that he thought his wife was about to die. Witness was present when the depositions were taken. Mrs. Klenner's mind was quite clear. To Mr. Ewing: The flow of blood during the operation was not caused by the probe puncturing the blood-vessel. The probe was a blunt-pointed instrument. The bleeding commented after the removal of- the probe. The bleeding convinced liim that the injury was to a vein, and not to an artery, else the plug would have stopped it. In conjunction with Dr. Walker he made a post mortem examination 011 tlie morning of the 17th inst. Dr. lilackley and Mr. Wylie were also present. Tho nature of the wounds was

again described. The upper wound passed obliquely downwards, backwards and inwards, and the lower jaw was fractured at its lower edge. Upon deep dissection tliey found the internal jugular vein hail been divided lor two-thirds of its circumference. The bullet had passed between it and the artery, bruising important nerves in its passage, and thinly struck a bone and had become (irmly lixed between the transverse process of the iirst and second vertebrae. The bullet was removed, 5 , and the wound measured, and found to be 3'/i inches deep. He produced tho bullet, which J presented the appearance of having come into contact with a hard substance. It would have been very difficult to extract the bullet whilst the patient was alive, and that operation would have seriously imperilled the patient's life, ft was this wound which, had caused the excessive hemorrhage. The wound in the neck was situated, by measurement, three inches above the breastlione. The windpipe was penetrated at the cricroid cartilage, just below the voice-box, the bullet passing through and wounding the gullet, lying behind, it passed right through this structure, ind, striking the bone, deflected to the ieft. It was found embedded ill the 1 1 transverse process of the fifth and sixth

verieorae. 1 ins woiuu uitve .iulu.wij opened the vertebral canal, without eaniplctely penetrating it, and had divided several nerves at their point of exit from the spinal cord. The paralysis of Lhe left arm was due to this. The second bullet (second in order of reference and examination,) did not cause

much hemorrhage, but the injury caused by it was much more severe and danger, ous to life than that in the jaw. In witness' opinion this wound was caused by a shot fired horizontally, whilst the other seemed to have come from above, though tiiat, too, might have been aimed horizontally, and'the course of the bui--1 let deflected by impact with the jaw. (The two bullets were produced). Death was due to exhaustion consequent o"i shock and hemorrhage, interference with breathing and swallowing, and injury to important nerves, and to septic infection of the system caused by dirt on the bullets, and leaking from the gullet and the windpipe, all of which was caused by the two wounds mentioned. The condition of most of the organs was normal, though the hea.rt showed signs of former suffering from pericarditis. There were n° marks on . the surface of the body other than those made by the surgical procedure. A juryman asked if it were possible for these wounds to have been sell indicted. Dr. Leathani said it was possible, but not probable. To other questions from the jury the witness stated that either wound was ■iuflieient to cause death. The post mortem disclosed the fact that it would have been quite impossible to save the patient's life. The shots which caused the wounds must have been fired at very close quarters, probably only a couple of feet away. Dr. E. A. Walker confirmed the pre-

vious medical evidence, and added tint . the hemorrhage whilst the operation was being performed it was not allowed to become severe, but the rapidity of the Ijow and the nature of the stream caused him to stop it immediately, and this dictated the subsequent treatment. Everything Was done that could be done for the patient. Mr. Kerr proposed to put in the deposition of the deceased.

IJr. Wilkes submitted that these were not admissible. They were taken ujinii a charge of attempted murder, and not in tlie present proceedings." Mr. Kerr said the jury had to decide us to how the deceased had come by her death, and these depositions bore very materially upon these proceedings. His 'Worship ruled that the depositions were admissible, and, at . 31'.". Wilkes' request, noted the objection. John Terry, clerk of the Magistrate's Court at New Plymouth, read the depositions, as under:—• "I am the wife of Alois Klenner, butcher, of Waitava. 1 live next door to Dr. Goode, at Waitara, who is accuse ! of attempting to murder me. That, is he standing there. Accused came to my house, 1 think, about half-past three yesterday afternoon. I thought 1 heard a noiee oil the front verandah. I opened the door and found it Dr. Goode. He walked into the sitting-room, and said, 'I want to speak to you.' lie was the worse for liquor. Ho said bad tilings about me, said I was bad with other men, which is untrue, as I was always true to my husband. He, wanted mc to sit oil his knee, and said, 'You be mine, or I'll shoot you.' I refused, and he fired two shots at me at short range, and I fell over. He tried to fire a third shot, but tiie revolver would not go off. I heard him say, 'Arc you dead V I never answered, as I was afraid. I heard him say, 'I am going to get some more whisky, and finish myself.' He then slammed the door and went away. I did not see him since till now."

ny :vu. Accused was drunk. I could not say how long lie was in the rooiu. He was very excited. His language was very unusual. He was angry before I refused his request. He had teen drinking for days. I couldn't say if -lie could walk straight. ITe tried to shoot himself, hut the revolver would not go off. He was always my adviser since he has been in Waitara. 1 was quite friendly with him. I think he must have been out of his mind, or he would not have done what lie did. Accused was mad with whisky. I judged from his appearance that he was out of his mind/' Joseph William Fitzsimmons, an employee of Alois Klenner, of Waitara, remembered Ida Klenner coming to him at the shop on Monday last, and in consequence of her information he went to Klenner's house. In the passage he smelt powder smoke. The iittle girl went into the room first, and came out saying. "She's shot; she's shot." He saw Mrs. Klenner lying on her back on the floor, with blood on her face and clothing and 011 the floor. Tried to lift her, but could not. Then he propped her on some pillows,* and ran to the post office, where he telephoned to New Plymouth for a doctor. Then lie met Constable Price and informed him of what he had seen. As he was going

ill he saw Dr. (ioode looking into Klcnner'a garden from a window ill his house. Br. (ioode's and Klcmier's houses were about fifteen yards apart. Constable Melvor, of Xew Plymouth, staled that, acting upon instructions, be went 011 Monday last to Wailara. arriving at Dr. (ioode's house about (1.30 p.m. There was a large crowd gathered outside to the house. With four other men he went to the surgery door in Dr. (ioode's house. The door was hroke-.i

in Jfr. Wilkes objected to this evidence going in. The Coroner ruled that the evidence was relevant and adniissable. The constable proceeded: lie entered the room, followed by Clias. .Stone and two others whom he did not know. Dr. Goode was in the room, and was moving towards the surgery door. He bad a revolver in his right band, holding it ill the air and lowering it in a position to fire, when witness went towards him. Witness got under the doctor's arm, which llicn came across witness' shoulder. Something then dropped from Dr. (ioode's hand to the floor. | Tile latter said: "What do you want? I What in the name of (lod docs all this mean?" Witness caught lmhl of him. threw him oil the sofa in the surgery, and said: "You're my prisoner." The

doctor was then, with the assistance of others, carried outside, handeull'ed, and removed to the cell at the Waitara police station. The same night he was brought in to New Ply mouth. Dr. Goode's clothing about his neck an.l chest were covered with blood. lie had no coat, waistcoat, or boots oa. He was in a very excited state. The revolver produced was the same as found in the surgery. To the foreman: The doctor was bleeding from a wound in the throat when arrested. The Waitara constable was present, and attacked another door. The revolver was fully loaded.

To .Mr. Wilkes: The arrest was made about ten minutes to seven o'clock. It was not too dark in the surgery to see the number on the revolver. Ileard Dr. Goode, on the way to the police station at Waitara, speaking in an irrational manner. His manner of speech was very e.vcited, but not raving. It was more the behaviour of a drunken nia:i than raving. His excitement would probably be caused by the arrest. In the police station at Waitara tile prisoner asked why lie had been arrested, and lie was told that it was because lie had shot a woman. The revolver was picked up from the lloor by Charles Stone. , j 'Detective Boddain, of New Plymouth, deposed that he had seen the revolver produced at tile Waitara police station at -about !).;l(l p.m. on the 14th. It was fully loaded, and he extracted the partridges. They were Jilcy's "bull-1 dog" bullets. They were similar to those previously produced by Dr. Lcatham. The weapon had been recently discharged, mid he could distinctly smell powder smoke in the barrel. The ordinary revolver bullet was about half the size, half the calibre, and rather longer

,lian these. To the jury: Dr. Goodc asked why le was arrested. Told liiui lie had shot i woman that afternoon. He then be:aine very excited, and it was quite cvilent that his mind was deranged, and that it would be wrong to charge him formally with the offence. Constable Price, of Waitara, stated that close on four o'clock on Monday he saw Airs. Klonner at her house.' Ho found two discharged cartridge shells on the lloor, and these were similar to the cases of the cartridges, produced by Dr. Leatham. Me also found four live cartridges scattered about the lloor, and u bullet. lie found, 100, a pince-nez. He could not say whose they were, but he had seen Dr. Goode wearing them. Dr. Goode subsequently claimed, them, saying they were his porperty. He found them when he was assisting io move Mrs. Klenner on to a stretcher. They were under her right shoulder. The Coroner: Have you ever seen that revolver before? Constable Price: Yes, when it was presented at ine by Dr. Goode. How did it come to be presented at you* Witness: I was informed that Dr. Goode had shot himself. I went to his aurgery at about ten minutes to four o'clock, expecting to find liini dead or wounded. The surgery door—a glass door opening on to the verandah —was about two inches open. I entered. Dr. Goode was standing by his writingtable. I ask'id him what was the matter, and lie told me to go to out of the house. I told him I wanted to have a talk with him. He again repeated: "Go to out of the house." The Coroner: Did you know at this time that.Mrs. Klenner had been shot? No, not exactly. I was told that something had happened and that Dr. (ioode had been shot. The revolver was lying on the writing desk. That is the revolver there. He picked the revolver up and pointed it at my head, and said, "If you don't go out, I'll shoot you." I asked him to put it down, and he again made use of the same words, "If you don't go out, I 'll shoot you." He impressed me with the idea that he was going to shoot me. I was alone, and I eould not get at him in time to prevent him shooting, as there was a table between us.

I Constable Price continued that he had frequently seen the revolver on a hook case iu'tlie surgery, but on this occasion it was on the writing table. He now produced another cartridges found on the floor with tile others, but not given to Sergeant Iladdrell at the same time with the others, that oflicer having told him t« jo when it was found that his presence excited Dr. Goode. He left the doctor's house, and went into Mrs. Klenner's and saw her lying on the floor. Asked her what was the matter, and in consequence of her answer he went to the post office, where iie telephoned to Sergeant Haddrell for assistance. Witness knew something of the character, temperament and strength of Dr. Goode. About 7 p.m. Constable McIvor arrived. Meantime witness kept watch. He also arranged with nine men to rush the house when Constable M'clvor arrived. OoL-Sergt. Brabant and three men took the front door, Constable Mclvor and two men the surgery door, and witness and three men I,he hack door, and at a given signal from the latter the doors were burst open.

To the jury: When I first went into tile surgery the top part of the doctor's clothing, that is, the under-vest, was covered with Wood, lilood was dripping from his beard. I though that he had shot himself. Could not -say if Dr. t Goode regularly carried firearms, but he had been told so, and that he had a pocket ill his trousers to accommodate the pistol. He had no permission to carry firearms. All the attackers ran a risk of being shot, and Constable MeIvor, Brabant, and witness each carried a revolver, lie did not tell Constable Mclvor that the doctor had threatened liim. When under the influence of liquor Dr. Goode had often threatened that lie would get rid of witness in some way or other. When drunk, lie was a very wild man. Witness smelt whisky plainly when lie went into the surgery.

To Mr. Wilkes: Dr. Goode seemed to have a well-balanced mind when sober, lint he had heard him say when he had been drinking that people were persecuting him. When in the surgery Dr. Goode looked very wild about the eyes. When witness was arresting him, Goode said ''You Price," and something else. He distinctly remembered those words, lie was raving when his wounds were being attended to. His conduct was'inore excited than that of the ordinary man.

The jury wished to know how the doctor received his -wounds, and the witness said that whilst the police were handculling the prisoner two or three ugly' rushes were made, and it took him and Constable Mclvor all their lime to protect him from the crowd. There was ft wound on top of the doctor's headjj and he must have got this during his apprehension. Goode struggled while being handeuiTM. and had to be carried

from his house to the main street,'because of the glass about tile verandah which fell from the glass door when the police forced it. From there he had to be taken to the. police station in a cart. Six men assisted in the arrest.

■Constable Mclvor was re-called to explain why the prisoner jvas carried, and he stated that it was because he absolutely refused to go. This concluded the evidence. The Coroner, addressing the jury, said there was 110 doubt as to the death of Mrs. Klenner resulting from the. two wounds referred to by them. lie reminded the. jury that they were not there to try the person wdio inflicted the wounds, but (merely to say how she came by her death, whether it was accidental or caused by the act of some other person. Even without the deposition of ill's. Klenner he thought the jury would be enabled to arrive at a verdict. The jury retired at 12.30, and returned in twenty minutes with the following verdict:—"That the deceased, Mary Ellen Klenner, met her death from revolver wounds inflicted by Dr. Goode." They added a rider to the tfl'eet that in their opinion Constable Price fulfilled his duty 111 every respect, and they strongly commended the plucky action of Constable Mclvor 111 effecting the. arrest. The jury desired their recommendations to be forwarded to the authorities. The Coroner said that Sergeant lla;l----drell would see to that. The foreman also intimated the jurymen's appreciation of the courtesy of the Coroner in conducting the 'proceedings.

FURTHER PROCEEDINGS. Dr. Ooode. who is at present confined in the New Plymouth, gaol on remand upon a charge of attempted murder, will be arraigned upon the major charge of murder this morning. Tt is the intention to remand him then for eight days and to grant further remands from time to time until January Bth, when the magisterial enquiry "will bo conducted.