THE WELLINGTON SHOOTING AFFRAY

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4468, 12 July 1893, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON SHOOTING AFFRAY

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Wellington, Wednesday. Louis Sanderson was cbargod with the murder of W. J. Spreat beforo tho Magistrates Court this morning, till Tuesday. Bail ■HHHHVumself and two sureties y each. The Inquest.

The inquest on tho body of W, W. J. Spreat wns held yeatflrday. John Madden, a constable, deposed that Constable Foley called forhira at about 2,15 on Saturday. Thov went to house, and entered it by tho thn door, in aspAro room onfßfc'eft of the passage, witness saw deceased lying on bis side on the floor. Louis Albert Sanderson and his brother Ernest Valentine Sanderson were present, Valentine said lhat they had telephoned for Dr Collins, Deceased said 1 Lonis shot me, but Ido not blame liini: ] frrgivo him.' Louis then said' I shot bim inself-di'fence with thiscartridgi l ,' Louis Sanderson volunteered ilie following statement: -That at aboil i 9.30 in the morning, deceased called i to him from down siairs asking him to aßsist h : m to shift some ohty tlmi had slipped from the bank «n to tho Pirie street footpath. Lou» be had lime writing to do, and as Boon as it was finished he would nitc his assistance, Afterwards ho put on his working clothes and offered his seryicca, which woro refused by deceased, who commenced using bad language towards bim, Somo time after that Louis changed his clothes tfei.'". «jid got ready for dinner. During'Sr just about dinner deceased camo to the passage and raved liko a madman, after wbwh ho threw (he contents of several buckets of water into the passage, crying 1 1 will give yon something to do.' Louis continued that ho and Valentine took their mother away irom the diningroom, and a short time after got their threo sisters away, who removed all tho knives from the table before leaving. Deceased came into the dining-room, took a jtnife from ft drawer and chased Valentine upstairs; Louiß then being in the • front yard, in a few moments saw bis brother with a gun, and said ' Why didn't yon bring mine.' Louis and 'his brother then passed into tho backyard wlioro they saw a ladder reai'liing tip to the window, and Louis said ' I will slip up and get my gun.' Louis was then called away to attend the dying depositions of the doceased, Tho deposition of the deceased, which was as follows, was read by the Coroner 1 My name is William Walter James Spreat. I live in Pirie street, Wellington, I have been Bleeping in a stablo in my premises, I have been very unwell, I have had one or two fits and Dr. Collins has been attending me, 1 have had a kind of epileptic fits, tho last one a month ago. 1 felt very uuwell all day on Friday. I felt better next day, but was annoyed by Louis Sanderson about throwing obstacles in my way about cleaning the footpath, and we quarrelled, 1 was raving, I began things about. 1 was Sanderson and his brother. They were armed with guns. They threatened to shoot me, but I couldn't believe it. I was armed With a knife and poker. Ernest had a baton, I was pursuing thorn with a knife, After I had pursued them with the knife and poker they got the guns. Louis went np a ladder into a room—into his room. Ho was getting away from me. I went up the ladder after him. When I got into the window after him I had the knife and poker (produced) with me He had tho gun pointed at me, 1 oan't say whether the door was open or not, but it was not locked. He could have got out if he liked. 1 was advancing towards him, but bis pointing tho gun cheeked me, but I think | ' I continued advancing a little, He . told me that if 1 advanced another ' step be would shoot me. 1 suppose 1 advanced a little. 1 made use of abusive language to him, I called him a dam mean hound, He raised the gna to his shoulder, and after about a minute fired. 1 waß about four paces from him when he fired, when he told me that he would shoot me. 1 am not sure of the exact words, but tbey WStojords to that effect. It was a einpParrelled gun; his brother had the other. When he fired I felt tho ball go right through me. I went downstairs and fell in the room. When Louis and 1 were in tho room it is possible he did not know that the door was unlocked. Thoyaw my natural children, and I havo left them all my belongings, There was no ill-feeling between us until we had the quarrel, this morning's occurrence. My temper brought on the occurrence. My topper is affected through the malady from which I suffer. They never seemed to make any allowance for my exhibition of temper. The house they live in they had from me. I thought tho children influenced in their conduct towards me by their mother. 1 thought that forjjLlong time. 1 never had reason totrnnk Louis Sanderson bad any ilMeeling towards me, I had an affection for him. I think I havo now given a correct version of what occurred this morning,' After other evidence the jury turned a verdictofjustifiablehomicide.