AN AUCKLAND SENSATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9529, 29 June 1909, Page 6

AN AUCKLAND SENSATION.

A GERMAN RUNS AMOK. ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A WOMAN.

ASSAILANT COMMITS SUICIDE.

By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, June 28. A German, who went under the name of L. W. Romer, boarding at a house kept by Mrs Phoebie Cornish, in Campbell road, next to the Royal Oak Hotel, shot Mrs Cornish yesterday morning. Mrs Cornish raised her left hand as she saw the revolver pointed at her, and the bullet crashed through her forearm, missing her body. The second shot struck Mrs Cornish on the left temple, but the bullet glanced off the bone. Romer then turned the weapon on hiimself, and put a bullet through his own head, death ensuing. Mrs Cornish, though suffering great pain, is noi. fatally hurt. Romer is not the real name of the suicide. He «as a well educated man mi is believed to be well connected in Germany. His mind was evidently unhinged. He had shown great fondness for one of Mrs Cornish's children, but owing to constant grumbling and disagreement w'ith others, he had been told to leave the house. There were only two boarders in Mrs Cornish's house, George Barrett and the German, who went under the name of Romer. Barrett says Romer was dull and morose at breakfast, and was heard to ejaculate, "Gladys wants a mother." Mrs Cornish toki him she would not have him cross-questioning the children about her movements. He heard two loud reports later, and looked into the kitchen, but retreated when he saw a smoking revolver, and heard Romer walk away, and then heard another report. He thon found Mrs Cornish badly wounded in an outhouse, and hurried her to a neighbour's. A note written in pencil and in Romer's writing was found on the dining-room table accusing Mrs Cornish of plotting to injure his character. "I therefore commit this deed. Sooner death than disgrace, for my life has always been pure. My real name is not Romer. Signed R." He was believed to be an ex-officer in the German Army, who was receiving a liberal allowance from his relatives.