THE PIPITEA STREET TRAGEDY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 989, 8 March 1910, Page 6

THE PIPITEA STREET TRAGEDY.

VERDICT OF MUKDER. At the coronial inquiry into the death of Christopher Dennis Smith, the victim of the Pipitea street tragedy, the coroner said that he w mid write the verdict thus: — "That the deceased, Christopher Dennis Smith, died on the 4th day of March, 1910, from a bullet wound inflicted by Robert Corkiil, and that the said Robert Corkili did murder tbe said Christopher D. Smith." "We object to the word "murder," said a juryman. "We think he shot the deceased in self defence." "No, we don't think it was in self defence," corrected a colleague, "You are responsible men, called upon to perform a solemn duty," aaid the coroner. "The ultimate responsibility does not rest with you, but even supposing it did, you have to deal with it like men and not try to halve things." The discussion ended in the jury signing the verdict which the coroner had read out and written at the end of the depositions. Inspector Ellison, giving evidence, said he arrived on the scene in time to take Corkiil to the poiice station in a cab. The accused talked a lot, and was cautioned that a note was being taken of his statements, as be was to be charged with firing at a man. Corkill's answer was: "He struck me twice at .the gate, I ran out and he knocked me down. Then I drew it to save myself. I shot him but did not intend to kill. him. lam the bailiff. I came from Harcourt's, and when I came to the house, that's the way he treated me. He was in bed with his boots on. I told him to take his things, as the furniture was to be taken to-morrow. ,He threatened my life in the house and put me out, and 1 did it to protect myself," This statement the accused continually repeated. "I did not intend to kill him." At the police station, continued Inspector Ellison, Corkiil asked: "How is he?" Witness replied; "I am told he is dead." Corkill's anwser was: "Oh God, I did not intend to kill him. What I did was in my own protection. He struck me on the jaw, and I fired at random when I was on the ground." Twice the accused was told to stop t-lKing, and eventually witness gos a chance to say: "You are charged with the wilful murder of a man named Smith." "Ob, not wilful, I didn't intend to kill him."