THE FATAL GUN ACCIDENT AT OXFORD.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2050, 27 August 1885, Page 3

THE FATAL GUN ACCIDENT AT OXFORD.

The Inquest. An inquest was held .it Oxfoid, on Tuesday, befoio Mr W. X. tteaiancke, cm oner, mi the bo-ly of the young ni.in Ghas. Willis, wlio was found bhf»t dead in his room on tlio pieuous d.iy. Mr Ty»on was chosen foi email of the jmy. (.1. Willis, biother of deceased, said he know of no cause why deceased should ha\e taken Ins life. William Kiiitapu, a Maoii boy, in the employment of Mr W. Kincaul, deposed that deceased want down to the cieek for a hwini about ."> o'clock that morning 1 , and aftei wards went out shooting On letummg homo the deceased w out into tho cookhouse, and shoitly after the report of a gun nas hoard. Ongoing into the cookhouse he stay Willis lying dead, but did not see the gun. Deceased had not been diiiikmg heavily of late. Win, Kincaid, employei of deceased, gave him a good character, and Knew no reason why he should take his own life. His accounts were all peifectly couect. Win. Bui gess deposed to heating the report of the srun. When he went to the cook-house SVilhs was lying on the flooi with the side of his face blown aw ay, and the gun standing 'against the wall, muz/le downward. Deceased had not been wlwt people called drinking, and had only had a gI,HB of pin t-w me that morning. He had been in depicssod &pnits for borne time past. Another witness had noticed that deceased bad been in depleted spirits for sonic weeks past, but did not think ho contemplated suicide. Dr. Murch ga\e medical evidencp. Tho gun, fioin the natuie of the wound, could not have been dischaiged close to the he.id. Deceased could not lme reached the trisger with his hand whilst standing. Constable Brennan produced the follow ingmanusciipt in deceased's handwiiting . "Ovfoid, Monday.— Mr Kincaid, I am going, I think, to drown my.self for my bad conduct up heie. I beg your forghenois. C. Willis" The following nicinos. weie found in his pocket book .—"The fact of the' matter is lamin\ ci y bad health. I hope to soon bo better, with the help of (4od. August "21th."' On another leaf was wutten.— "As T am not very well, I'd like to make my will. Miss Maggie Willis, Ballunoie, heUnd, I would wi-b to be p.iid out of 1113 iii-ur.ince money three hundied pounds ; \Villw, Wellington, I would wish to get one hundrod pounds. Ho can also ha\e the balance of the money coming t<> mo to paj any debts 1 have inclined in New Zealand. — CHUtLhS WlI-MS." The jmy letuined tho following tcidict • — "That tho deceased, Chailes Wilh--, came to his death by tho accidental dischaige of .1 gun, and fiom no other cause."

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