THE CLINTON TRAGEDY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1740, 30 August 1883, Page 2

THE C LIN TON TRAGE D Y.

0, In our last issue \ie ga\ethe principal evidence taken at the imiuest, and now add tlie coroner's rcmaiks and the verdict, which had not been i etui ned when our report was despatched on Moud.iy night : —The Coroner, in addressing tlie jury, said : Thcic is, in fucfc, nothing to show' that the lads maliciously filed at the train, but it is pioved that the shot 3 took eflbcfc upon tlie engine. It would appear that Alexander had asked John for Ins gun to fiie ofF. so that John evidently did not fire it hnn&blf, but the shots were discharged by James and Alexander and John had nothing at all to do with the firing. If you think, gentlemen, that there was any malicious intent, you will require to leturn a verdict of murder. If yon think they merely fired at the train for amusement, and out of larrikin fun, and unfortunately killed the deceased, then it will be a case of manslaughter. The jury, after three- quarters of an hour's deliberation, returned tlie following verdict :—" That James and Alexander Roy during the nig nt of the 23rd instant dischaiged their guns recklessly, whilst the train was passing through the cutting near Wairuna, tliereby causing the death of the deceased, John Henderson.' 1 This amounted to a \eulict of manslaughter against the two lads, ami they weie bound over in two sureties of £230 each to appear before the Resident Magistiate on Wednesday. The lads' fathei and Mr Haiuson, the local schoolmaster, became the sureties.