SEAMAN IN COURT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1939, Page 3

SEAMAN IN COURT

CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, December 14. On a charge of attempting to murder Stanley Meredith Hunt in Wellington on November 25, Charles Theodore Nelson, seaman, aged 51, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial by Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday. Nelson pleaded not guilty. Nelson was remanded till after the major charge had been dealt with on a charge of being in possession of a .32 calibre revolver for longer than seven days when he was not a licensed dealer and was not the registered owner of the revolver. A further charge of discharging a loaded revolver at Hunt was withdrawn by the police. Detective-Sergeant W. R. Murray prosecuted and Mr R. Hardie Boys appeared for Nelson. Stanley Meredith Hunt, steel worker and freezing worker, said that on Saturday, November 20, he visited the home of his sister, Mrs Gladys Revell, in Vivian Street. While he was listening to the wireless, accused, who rented a room there, came in and after abusing him produced a revolver and fired with a cartridge which he said was blank, and then with a cartridge. Hunt said the bullet whizzed past his head, as he ducked, and went through the wall.

Police evidence was given of the arrest of Nelson. When he was taken to the police station he had a revolver in his possession, and in one of his pockets 36 Cartridges, and an empty cartridge case were found. Sergeant R. Audley said that at the Mount Cook police station accused said: “Hunt is a Communist. You will give me a square deal. I know you will. I can shoot straight. I am good with a revolver. I admit having a shot at him this afternoon. If my eyesight was not so bad I would have got him. This will be the end of me now.” Nelson would not put that explanation in writing. On Sunday morning, November 26, witness heard Nelson talking to a fellow prisoner. The other prisoner said: “How many shots were fired?” Nelson replied: “Oh. a few.” The other prisoner then said: “It is lucky for you you did not hit him. Nelson said: “I only fired one at him; the other shots were fired into the couch in the room.” The sergeant said another empty shell of .32 calibre was found in the room where the shot was fired. Nelson was refused bail.