A SINGULAR CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 115, 12 June 1909, Page 2

A SINGULAR CASE.

CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MUliDElt By Telegraph.—Press Association. Waiagaiuui, Lust Night. A very singula!' case, has owuipied the Supreme. Court d'urinlg tile past two daivft. The ehcinnstii'iices ait. to the following effect:—On February 22nd ! last two men, A'inos Uhatilield and Fredcrick Gairlicik, lcfifc Oliutu tor Taihape, • a couple of miles distant. Tliey iwero Wtiisim'lc Mends-, and UarMk 'areompa'ulied Chhllicld at flic. letter's .request. They iii'tendcil U» .return home in time to dio the aiiilkftig. At mbout eight o'clock rnt night Gairfek led Oliatfield'M horse, home, amd dedaned that he had IJli.rown Cliabiiejd into tiio Hsihtapu river. He wsiß civiUt'iitly drunk, and his suctions damtoig the wx't hour or «o were of a sensational nature. He jeKnrafal that lto 'had killed Oliatficld and tiirpa'tened to kill Mrs. Oliatficld, wliilom he .wanted to cojno in. a «wt and look for her husband. Eventually Garlick got his gun', and aib'ou't ten o'clock was shot through the shoulder, the bone, being sha'Uered and the flesh torn away. Witncs.*« drtferetl that the wound was self'inlliotal. While. Garliek was terrorising the village a party had gone in acairdi of Oliii'Ulioid, and fou-.id hi'iii lying amiongs't hJh-hJm sonic- fourteen feet dow'n tihe baulk of the river. SSirufe hnd stopped a. fall over apreci|.'lc. seiVnl.v feet deVp. 11<. wte dead :lrici!;. and did not irnvkm till after lie waft pulled on to the i-oail. The Irats of lbot.li nivn, we're found lying on Hie roail and there were mark, as of i mud hdv-iiu' been- dinprgcd across the wad to the edge of lih'c .lunik. I'n I'nui* amitlielld staled that when, re and GarlilA. readied Tailiitpe dm lad some beers, but left for ham,, qu ,t c ■.obo,r both ,'beiug of temperate habits, .iifi-lrek liougiliit a. bottle of draught rlusfa-, and tllife tlhoy drunk c, o iw IJOIIR the road. Chntnehl had two !rihks and thcif lo,<l cunsciousne.*, mowing nwUihig more till awakened Iby lIS ICfiCUOJB.

(.wlick, m jjwing twideiiw, „,„ ]lis oura behalf, sn.id that, CfcuMeld cot so <i™«ik that he fell off his horse. Garble fulled «„, .t„ the side of the road oiili of fagor nlmi Chntficld then roll<tf over Hhn cliff. OarlkJk tried to pull nwV 1 ;,.I"*' 1 "*' <, °" l ' l " ,n,t - "'"'l «h™, at ™<l Sin. (Mum. From that point 'IB in.n.l .was a blah'k, ami he knew no«ni' of lfe, suil;is«]ucnt abtions all Oliuihi.

» jury retired at 10.15 IvmgM and nlltci toiM an i!to„,r rd turned a verdiH of not puirty of atteinipted murder. The ilurylswowCTTOid'c'riiig an, issue hearinj. on charges of attempted, sukrtd'e and intimidation.

\ ; Wwnganui, Later. Otis jury found Gtirliiek not jjuiity of tntmn««m and attempted stiicidc. H.oldimg ttet ho was ira,h in a, rational state, of mind. Aoeusc'd was them disdhaiged.