A YOUTHFUL CRACKSMAN.
SHOOTS HIMSELF WHEN CAUGHT.
[EX PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Dunedin, December 19.— There was excitement near the Post Office shortly after 8 to-night. For some time past complaints have been made that letters with money have gone astray after being posted. After inquiry the detectives decided to watch the letter boxes in the Post Office. As Detective O'Connor was so engaged to-night, a boy of 14 years or so, named Herbert Orr, was noticed opening one of the boxes and taking a letter. The detective slipped off his boots, but when he had opened the door the boy had put some distance between them. Just as the boy rounded into Princess-street he looked back, and, seeing the detective, bolted. He went along Bond-street, and down Water-street, the detective following, and crying out "Stop thief!" Just as the detective was winded, a man on horseback followed the boy, who went into a yard. On the detective making a search, he found the boy in a water closet. He had his hands in his breast, and begged the detective to let him off. When the detective said he could not, the boy said he would shoot himself, and at once fired a revolver he was clasping in his hands. The bullet entered the left breast above the region of the heart. The boy was at once removed to the hospital, but he not expected to live through the night. The boy is small for his age. He is the son of a commission agent in town. -Taranaki Herald, 20/12/1895.
Accidents and Fatalities
Dunedin, December 20. The boy Herbert Orr, who shot himself last night on being captured by a detective, died at 1.30 to-day. -Oamaru Mail, 20/12/1895.
DEATHS.
Orr. — on the 20th December 1895, Joseph Herbert Orr, the second and much-beloved son of Samuel Orr and Jane Laing Anderson; aged 14 yeara and 4 months.
What though the accuser roar, Of ills that I have done;
I know them well, and thousands more, Jehovah findeth none.
I meet them face to face, Through Jesus conquest blest;
March in the triumph of His grace, Right onward to my rest. -Otago Daily Times, 21/12/1895.
INQUESTS.
DEATH BY SHOOTING.
An inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Joseph Herbert Orr was held at the hospital, on Saturday, before, Mr Coroner Carew and six jurymen, of whom Brack H. Laing was chosen foreman.
Samuel Orr deposed that the body shown to the jury was that of his son Joseph Herbert Orr. The deceased was born at Invercargill, and was 14 years and four months old. Witness had never before seen the revolver produced. He had no explanation to offer in regard to the affair. He had seen the single key produced. It used to be about the office, but did not open anything. One of the keys on the ring opened the gate of the yard known as Gibson's yard, another was the key of his son's cash and stamp till, and a third was the post office box key. Deceased had not been in the office for two or three weeks before Thursday. Witness recognised that in his absence one or other of his sons (deceased or another) would examine the letter box and forward letters on to him.
To Inspector Pardy: When witness saw his son at the hospital on Thursday night he asked him "Why did you do it ?" Deceased said either then or at some time afterwards, "I never intended to do it." Witness added: "When I put the question to him I thought perhaps some cross word had been spoken to him at home. Nothing had occurred, to my knowledge, to lead me to suppose that any such thing had taken place."
Edmund Cook, chief-postmaster, said that several complaints were made, commencing five or six weeks ago, of letters being lost from the letter boxes. The last complaint was from the Phoenix Company. On Thursday, witness placed a test letter in the box about 3 30 p.m. Before leaving the office at 4.30, witness examined the box and the letter was gone. He reported the matter to Detective O'Connor, and arranged with him to watch in the lobby.
Henry Ferens, post office clerk, deposed that he was in the post office at 7 o'clock on Thursday night, and saw the detective there. A letter without an envelope was brought to Witness. It was found loose in the receiving box at the entrance. Witness enclosed it in an envelope, directed it, stamped it, cancelled the stamp, and at the suggestion of the detective put the letter in the Phoenix box. At 10 p.m. witness looked into the box and this letter was gone.
Chief Detective O'Connor related the incidents, already published, which led up to his capture of the deceased, and also deposed as to the lad shooting himself with a small seven-chambered revolver which witness took from him. On the way to the hospital the lad asked the constable to shoot him, saying he wanted to die. Witness thought he said he did not want to disgrace his father. The keys produced were foundin the lad's pockets. The key described by Mr Orr as the key of his letter box opened the Phoenix box as well as Mr Orr's box. Witness had tried them. The two boxes stood 5ft or 6ft apart, and were not in the same tier.
The Foreman: Seeing that.the boy was in an excited state, is there any chance that the pistol went off accidentally?
Witness: I don't know. He said that he would shoot bimself. He might easily have shot me. If I had known he had a revolver I would have rushed and closed with him as soon as I saw him.
In reply to further questions witness said he believed the lad had the revolver with him. He saw something in his hand, but did not dream it was a revolver. One of the cabmen had since told witness that he saw a pistol in the lad's hand as he was running.
Mr Carew : And he didn't call out to you as you went by?
Witness: No.
Alexander Phelan, a boy 15 years of age, deposed that on Thursday evening he was going from the Arcade to the railway station. He went down Water street and found the letter produced (the test letter) at the corner of that street and Bond street.
Dr Boss, house surgeon at the hospital, deposed that the deceased was brought to the hospital, at 9.40 p.m. on Thursday. Witness rang up Dr Davies, who came at once, and he carried out the treatment directed by Dr Davies. The cause of death was a wound through the lung. The wound might have been self-inflicted.
The jury, after deliberating for about 10 minutes, returned the following verdict: "That deceased met his death by a pistol shot self-inflicted when in a state of mental excitement." -Otago Daily Times, 23/12/1895.
No comments:
Post a Comment