A SHOCKING TRAGEDY.
Towards the end of last month Edward Henry Smith, who carried on business as a land and commission agent in Invercargill, and a girl named Myrtle Scott, who was employed as a typiste. were reported to be missing. Inquiries were made by the police, and numerous reports were received by them. Until yesterday their actual whereabouts wore not discovered. Three young men were out shooting at the end of what is known as the Tramway road, when they saw a man amongst some scrub. They were in the act of withdrawing with the intention of giving information to the police, as they surmised that they had discovered the missing man, when a shot was fired, and a bullet whizzed unpleasantly close to one of the party. Immediately afterwards two other shots were heard. The police were telephoned for, and two constables and a number of. men proceeded .as quickly as possible to the scene. On reaching the spot the girl was found dead, having been shot through the head, and the man Smith had also been shot through the head, but was still living. He died shortly afterwards. The place where the man and girl were discovered was one that afforded a splendid hiding place. They evidently obtained food from homesteads in the vicinity, as several potato and turnip patches had recently been raided. Smith, who was a married, man, was over 50 years of age, and the girl Scott was about 20 years old. -Evening Star, 13/3/1916.
THE SOUTHLAND TRAGEDY.
MARRIED MAN'S STRANGE FREAK.
LIVES WITH GIRL IN BUSH.
The Southland "Times" publishes a full account of the Seaward Bush tragedy, a brief account of which was telegraphed. The "Times" says: — A sensation was caused in town on Sunday evening when it was learned that a well known land and commission agent in Invercargill, Edward Henry Smith, had committed suicide, and had also taken the life of a young woman named Myrtle Scott, 20 years of age. About a fortnight ago an advertisement appeared in the local Press intimating that a man and young woman had disappeared from their homes, and had last been seen at Elles Road South, a reward being offered for information that would lead to the discovery of their whereabouts. In a few days, however, the reward was withdrawn, and rumours found their way into circulation that the pair had gone to Dunedin, while it was also asserted that they had been seen on several occasions about Seaward Bush. It seemed quite true that they had visited houses asking for food, which they received, as several residents of South Invercargill .had been told by people who had. assisted them in this way that they had seen them at different times. The girl Scott had for some years been typiste for Smith, who carried on business in premises near the White Swan Hotel, and during a considerable period before the war broke out had two offices, one in Dee and the other in Esk Street, but he closed the latter after the speculative tendency of the people disappeared before the altered outlook due to the conflict, and did all his business in the one place. Those who were in close association with the man for some time saw nothing in his appearance or manner to indicate that he was not in his ordinary state of mind at the time he went away, and several who had seen him just the previous day say he was in cheerful spirits. However, the fact remains that Smith, married with a family, and himself bordering on 70 years of age, and not 50, as has been stated in the Press — that is if his own word is to be accepted as true — left with a woman young enough to be his granddaughter, and with her lived in the bush for close on a fortnight, depending for food on the generosity of residents and on what they could gather from the turnip and potato fields round about. There was evidence in the vicinity of the shelter the pair had made in the bush that these roots formed a by no means unimportant part of the food they relied upon. The place to which they retired when anyone approached was well situated from their point of view, as a person passing along would not likely come across it. It was reported from the outset of the escapade of the couple that Smith had a revolver, and some said the woman was also armed, but as far as could be learned no one had seen weapons of this kind in their possession.
Myrtle Scott was a daughter of Mr. James Scott, a small farmer, and her peculiar conduct is inexplicable, though probably the inquest that will be held will throw considerable light on the affair.
About 1895 Smith was a shepherd, on Gardiner's Tapui station, in the Oamaru district, and later was head shepherd on Gardiner's Island Cliff property near Ngapara. this being in 1898. Subsequently he was on Fairplace station, near Riversdale, being employed by Mr. J. C. Nichol, and removed to Redan estate, near Wyndham, which he left to take possession of a farm at Tokanui he had purchased from Mr. S. Miller. After that he was for a number of years in Gore as a land and commission agent, and then came to Invercargill, where he was engaged in the same kind of business. -Auckland Star, 16/3/1916.
SEAWARD BUSH TRAGEDY
THE INQUEST.
VERDICT OF MURDER AND SUICIDE.
At Invercargill on Thursday, before Mr G. Cruickshank, coroner, an inquiry was held into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Myrtle Mildred Scott and Ernest Herbert Smith, whose bodies were found in Seaward Bush on Sunday. Mr Eustace Russell appeared for the girl's father, and Mr Tait for the members of the Smith family. Inspector Norwood conducted the inquiry.
James Hislop Soott, father of Myrtle Mildred Scott, and a farmer at Titiroa, stated that her age at the time of her death was close on 20 years. She had been working in Invercargill for over three years as a typiste, and was with Smith for two years. Witness had been at Titiroa a year last September, and since that time his daughter had resided in Invercargill.
Arthur Smith, farm labourer, West Plains, and a son of Ernest Herbert Smith, said that his father was 60 years of age last January, and was a land and estate agent. He had seen the deceased only on an occasional Saturday night. He heard that his father was missing about March 2, and made an examination of his office on March 5. He found letters there, two addressed to Mrs Scott, one to one of Smith's grandchildren (Florrie), and another to Mrs Smith. One was dated February 7, and signed by Myrtle Scott. There was a letter signed by his father and addressed "to whom it may concern," dated the 22nd, and one attached to it signed by Myrtle Scott addressed to no one in particular, written on the same date. Those letters showed an indication of intention to commit suicide on the part of both owing to financial and other worry. He handed the letters over to the police. He was led to believe that his father had been in financial difficulties, and his mother was in poverty at home.
Mary M. E. Cook, who was distantly related to Myrtle Scott, stated that she last saw her on February 28. The deceased simply said "Good-bye." She took nothing with her beyond what she was wearing, and witness did not notice anything unusual about her. All deceased's belongings were left in witness's house. The girl was of a bright and cheerful disposition.
James Bennett Dale, a railway employee, said that about 12 months ago he took a house through the agency of Smith, and during an examination of the furniture Smith saw a revolver, lying in drawer. About September Smith called at the house of witness, and asked if ho would lend him the revolver to shoot cats in his backyard. Witness handed Smith the revolver and four cartridges that he had in a box. 'A. few weeks later Smith informed witness that he had bought some cartridges and had shot nine cats. On the Friday before he disappeared Smith said he would return the revolver that night, as he had had it too long. He did not return the revolver. The revolver produced was the one witness had lent Smith. Smith said on the Friday that things were getting desperate with him, and that a good deal depended oil the result of a lawsuit that was to be decided in Dunedin. Smith was very excited at the time, and his speech was not very coherent. He gave witness the impression that his affairs were coming to a climax, and he was very excited and worried. He would not say that Smith was not rational, but so far as witness could see Smith seemed to be a man in desperate trouble of some kind.
Dr Stewart deposed that in the region of the man's right temple there was a one inch wound, and evidence of fairly extensive bleeding. The man had been apparently shot by a revolver bullet, which must have been within two feet when fired, and probably very close. On the left temple region of the woman there was a small circular wound from a revolver bullet, which had been fired at as close a distance as in the case of Smith. It would be an exceedingly improbable thing for the girl Scott to have inflicted the wound herself, judging by the course of the ballet.
Mounted-constable Anderson stated that he had organised search parties for the man and the girl after they had been missed. He found indications of people in different places in the bush. On the Sunday morning search parties went through the bush where the bodies were subsequently found, but found no trace of them. A warrant had been issued for the arrest of Smith for not maintaining his wife. Cyrus Henry Taylor, a fitter in the Railway Workshops, stated that on Sunday he was out searching in the bush, and about 2.15 p.m. his attention was drawn to a track which he followed, and came across a man and woman in the scrub in a mia-mia covered at the top. He looked into the miamia, and saw the man lying on his back, with one knee up and a hand behind his head. As soon as the man noticed witness, he reached over for a revolver, which was at his left side, and away from the girl. He saw the outline of the girl in the miamia, close to Smith. Smith got into a crouching position, stepped back, and then sat down. Witness then went back about five yards to where the other searchers were, and did not speak to Smith. Witness had a conversation with Shepherd, and decided to go for the police. They had gone about 10 yards, when they heard a shot. Witness still continued towards the road, and he heard a second shot when he reached it. Witness then motored on his cycle to the police station. He returned with Constables Classen and Jones, He heard no screams or shouts, and did not hear a third shot.
Joseph Shepherd said that when Taylor told him he had found the missing man and girl, and that Smith was armed, witness advised that the police be sent for, and said that he would sit and watch the track from the mai-mai into the thick bush. He sat there for a few minutes, when a bullet went past his car. Witness went out on to the road, a distance of about three chains, when he heard another shot. That would be about 10 minutes after the first shot had been fired. He heard a third shot about three minutes after the second one.
Constable Classen gave evidence as to finding the bodies.
Mr Tait handed in a letter written by M. Townsend, land agent, which stated that he did not think Smith's mental balance was quite correct. He seemed to be worrying.
The Coroner said it seemed that, judging by the letters that had been found, Smith and Scott had decided to commit suicide 14 days before the deed was committed, and when Smith spoke to Dale nearly a year ago he seemed to have such thoughts in his mind.
Mr Russell said that the influence of Smith was obvious in. Scott's letters, and she was always protecting Smith. The Coroner returned a verdict that the girl was murdered by Smith, and that Smith committed suicide by shooting himself while being temporarily insane. -Otago Daily Times, 18/3/1916.
THE INVERCARGILL TRAGEDY
SEXAGENARIAN SATYR SMITH AND MYRTLE MILDRED SCOTT
WHAT THE CORONER'S INQUEST REVEALED: SORDID STORY Of A YOUNG WOMAN'S SHAME
the Victim of an Old Libertine's Lust
The Coroner's Verdict: Murder and Suicide
The slaying of Myrtle Mildred Scott by Ernest Herbert Smith, who was old enough to be her grandfather, is probably the worst crime ever perpetrated m the far South, even not excepting the Infamous Baxter murders. After perusing the very trifling inquest one might be led to disbelieve such a statement. But the inquest proved to be a mere matter of official form, and police and lawyers alike united in suppressing many items that would have served to place the monster Smith on record as one of the vilest villains that any country could have produced. When it is known that the unfortunate young woman was fair advanced in the maternal way at the very time she was murdered by her hoary betrayer, who already had been the father of an Illicit offspring of hers that is still alive, and that those important items — the pivots upon which the whole gross matter had revolved —
WERE SUPPRESSED AT THE INQUEST one commences to seriously cogitate on the curious nature of some inquests. "Truth" does not hesitate to say that the above facts were the real motives of the foul Seaward tragedy, and, as motives constitute the basic facts of every inquiry of the kind, the real causes must be outlined, at least, to aid in the finding of an accurate verdict. The Coroner's verdict was fairly accurate, but if the medical man had been permitted to disclose all he knew he certainly would have said that women in the condition of Miss Scott are not the sanest of their sex. At such a period they usually need rest and attention, because, as often is the case, they can be capable of unusually mad freaks. Myrtle Scott's attachment to the ancient, decrepit criminal, Smith, was the maddest of mad freaks, that can be only explained away by the condition she was in. Smith was more criminal than mad, and domestic circumstances disclosed below coupled with financial ruin all occasioned by his double living, drove him to an end that he had long ago merited.
Of course, the Coroner states he was mad. Smith was certainly mad — sexually mad, to the last hour. But was the girl sane?
"Truth's" full report easily furnishes an answer. Dirt and debauchery of the vilest kind, and of many months' duration, occasioned the crime and, perhaps, it was, with a view of covering over the baser scandals and, in a sense, saving the previous fair fame of wowseristic, saintly Invercargill that the Coroner's inquiry provided such a trifling affair. If such was the object of the many suppressions, the inquest was eminently satisfactory!
WHAT LED UP TO THE CRIME. Miss Scott had been resident in Invercargill with a Mrs. Cook for over 18 months, and for over two years she was employed by Smith. She was a typiste. The girl was young and prepossessing in many respects. She was not quite 20 at the time of her tragic death. Smith carried on the business of land and commission agent in Dee-street, Invercargill's main thoroughfare. He was a libertine long before Myrtle Scott accepted employment in his office, and well qualified to degrade a stronger minded girl than the plastic daughter of the Titiroa farmer. Miss Scott, in Smith's hands and under his will, proved a mere machine. She was a passionate girl, and corning in contact with a sexual maniac, she scarcely could be said to have had a chance to save herself. In any case, she was only two years with Smith, so the first libidinous relationship must have taken place shortly after she became Smith's employee. A child was eventually born. The girl was confined in Smith's own private house, and attended therein by a female relative of Smith's. The relative, however, fully believed that the father of the child was some young man in town. It never flashed across her mind that Smith was the father. She considered she was doing a good turn for the girl
IN HIDING HER SHAME. Shortly after the child was born it was sent to a nurse in Dunedin.
Fully recovered, and "no one the wiser," Myrtle Scott resumed her duly as typiste in Smith's office. Having fallen a victim to her libidinous employer, and having re-entered into the office that occasioned her initial false step. It was not a matter of much difficulty for the scoundrel Smith to continue the illicit companionship. She was now a consenting party, at any rate. It is presumed that, as the girl was paying out of her meagre wages for the support of the child in Dunedin, that Smith was paying her an additional "screw." Having to maintain two women, and the business feeling the effects of competition and the war, it was not long before financial ruin loomed ahead. Money troubles bring mental and domestic worries. Trouble of a worse kind faced the typiste, and her trouble was a grave worry for him this time. Myrtle Scott was again enciente. One day the foolish typiste and her paramour were faced in their very den in Dee-street by Smith's wronged wife. Miss Scott could deny nothing; her condition was obvious. Smith strenuously denied everything. The storm abated, but legal proceedings were instituted by Mrs. Smith for maintenance. In the interval Smith and the girl disappeared. (Mrs. Smith was not needed at the inquest, it may be noted the poor woman would not suppress everything. She is certainly to be pitied.)
THE TRAGEDY AND THE LOCALITY. Taking the Southend car at the Post Office on its trip to the terminus several miles out, one is dropped at a road — Tramway road — running directly at right angles to the route travelled by the car. Tramway Road, bumpy, stony, and stony, runs into the bushy district known as Seaward Bush, a weird, lonely locality, but fairly well dotted with settlements to the verge of the scrub. The road terminates in the bush. On either side of the road the fire had gone through the scrub and trees, leaving the gaunt blackened spectre of stricken trunks standing up in every direction. But the scrub had regrown more luxuriously than ever as a result of the fire, making the district an ideal one for outlaw. And an ideal outlaw sought this ideal district, for Ernest Herbert Smith had begun life in the bush and for twenty years he had followed the vocation of bushman. Hence he knew his ground, and could construct a mai-mai (a bush camp) that would puzzle a Maori tracker. It is strange how early associations call loudly to all men. The early days called loudly to old Smith in his troubles, and with a swift plunge into the night he and his victim sought the scenes "from whence at first he flew." He made back to the old native woods, where, foolishly enough, he surmised that he and the girl could lose themselves. They travelled long and lonely distances in the bush, crossing and re-crossing a fairly extensive area of country — for Seaward Bash is a fairly wide and dense district. Here and there , he constructed numerous, maimais, and changed from one to the other to
DELUDE THE PERSISTENT HUNTERS who eventually\got on the trail. The trail was blazed simply enough. Smith and the girl had to live, and though crude game is abundant in the locality, he had only his revolver and six bullets in his possession. These dangerous articles, however, he retained for self-preservation and self-destruction, as he had left word behind that he would not spare his hunters, and would not be taken alive. He carried out both threats. The self-appointed outcasts had to resort to vegetarianism of the most primitive mixture, and to obtain these crude necessaries of life they kept in the yicinity of the settlements. Gardens, orchards, arid fields were raided — generally by a "boy" — and onions, beans, peas, potatoes, lettuces, turnips, apples, pears and berries were secured. The raids took place at night or in the early morning, and what principally indicated that the missing pair haunted the district was the rape of the potato patches. The "boy" was spotted, too, and the settlers believed that Smith had a youth with him as well as a young woman. The extraordinary cunning of Smithy and the abject slave devotion of the young woman, Scott, are forcibly illustrated by this "boy" feature. The boy was none other than the demented girl; Smith had her so completely in his power — he dominated her body and soul — that he was able to induce her to shed her garments (the scanty ones she wore) and don his trousers and coat. He was wise in the move when he sent her forth thus arrayed on foraging expeditions, as he knew she would not face civilisation thus attired. She pilfered for him.
MASQUERADING AS A BOY, digging into the damp earth with her frail girlish fingers that had only been accustomed to tapping a typewriter; and loaded with her gains she crept back through burbed wire fences, and the thick undergrowths of the bush. Then she sallied forth with a bottle and kerosene tin to the creek for water. Smith remained in the mai-mai with the girl's skirt around his limbs, and "cooked" some way or other. No traces of a fire were discovered, and nothing that would light a fire was found in their possession. It is surmised that they ate the onions, potatoes, turnips, etc., raw! But all the mai-mais were not located, and Smith could light a bush fire with anyone. It is easy to destroy all traces of a small fire for cooking purposes; and, as he generally destroyed the refuse of their scant meals by rolling the matter up in paper and covering it over (which was discovered in one case), it is possible he lit a little fire of some kind for an hour in the night. The search parties tardily and unsystematically organised did not exert themselves by an early morning or a midnight hunt. Hunger and desperation eventually played into the searchers' hands, and they do not deserve many compliments for the courage they displayed at the critical hour. A little more system and a little more courage might at least have saved the girl. Up to the time of the actual discovery of Smith and his victim in the mai-mai it was fondly believed in responsible circles that the missing pair were in Dunedin. It was even rumored that they had been seen there.
Smith and the girl foraged, cooked, and ate by night, and rested by day, frequently changing from one hiding place to another. Latterly owing to hunger they were driven to the verge of the bush in close proximity to the road. In such a place, however, no one anticipated finding them until by accident Cyrus Henry Taylor
STUMBLED RIGHT ON TO THE NEST. It was evident that Smith did not expect to be discovered so completely, yet he proved a deal cooler than the searcher. He reached for his revolver and Taylor decamped. Considering Smith's age, he was over 60, and his frailty owing to age, exposure and hunger, Taylor, who was a young man, might easily have overpowered him. But Taylor retreated for the Invercargill police despite the fact that he had five men assisting him in the hunt. Thus a precious hour, and maybe much more for all we know, was wasted. An elderly man named Shepherd sat on a stump; and watched the mai-mai, but, from the latter a bullet came unpleasantly close to him, and he also retreated. In the interval Smith adjusted the girl in the position she was found and murdered her while she slept. He then sat down and. shot himself and was in a dying condition when discovered by Constable Classen. He died in threequarters of an hour, after a period of fearful agony, during which it seemed to the many onlookers that he was endeavoring to speak. One eye was shattered, but the other eye was wide open. He wore a fearfully, repulsive appearance — l3 days' growth of beard, long sunken jaws, and, he was haggard looking generally; all in marked contrast to the peaceful, clean expression of his murdered victim. The bodies were lying on their backs. on two sacks. The body of the young woman was splendidly developed, and indicative of considerable strength. Lying there as the result of a tragic death she did not show any traces of the wild primitive existence she had lived for 13 days. The mai-mai in which the bodies were found is situated on the verge of the bush convenient to the road. It was formed under some fuschias bent together by means of the girl's garters, with a strip of hall carpet stretched over the top. The place was very dry and secure, and commanded a good view of the road.
THE INQUEST. On Thursday of last week, in the Courthouse, Invercargill, Mr. G. Cruickshank,S.M., coroner, conducted the inquiry into the cause of the deaths of Myrtle Mildred Scott, and Ernest Herbert Smith, who were found shot in a maimai shelter at Seawards Bush.
Lawyer Tait represented Smith's relatives, and Lawyer Russell the family of Scott. Inspector Norwood represented the police. Both inquests were conducted at the same time.
Just as the Inquiry opened, Lawyer Russell approached our reporter, and the following little breeze ensued:
Lawyer Russell: You are the "Truth" man?
"Truth's" rep.: You've hit it.
Lawyer Russell: None of your sketching or photographs here, I warn you. You must ___
"Truth" rep.: None of your impertinence. I never take my instructions from any lawyer. Go and sit down.
The first witness called was the father of the deceased girl, James Hislop Scott, a farmer at Titiroa. He said his daughter ,
WAS NOT QUITE TWENTY at the time of her death. She was away from her home, being a typist in Invercargill for three years. She was with Smith for over two years.
Arthur Smith, farm laborer, West Plains, said he was a son of the deceased man, Smith, who was over 60 years of age. Ho was a land and estate agent in Dee-street, and witness had not seen him often beyond occasional Saturday nights. His father was missing about March 2, and on March 5 witness went round and searched his office. In his father's office he found letters, two addressed to Mrs. Scott, one to his grandchild, Florrie, and another to Mrs. Smith. Myrtle Scott signed one of the letters, and Smith had penned another letter I written "To whom It may concern." Myrtle Soon signed an addition to this letter. The letter and addition were written to no one in particular, and were penned on the same day, February 22. All the letters indicated that it was their intention to commitsuicide and financial and other worries were indicated. Witness handed over the letters to the police. He coul;d not say for a fact if his father was in financial difficulties but he was always led to believe it.
Mary Margaret Elizabeth Cook, Corman street said she was a distant relative of the deceased girl's, and the latter boarded with witness. She had stayed with witness since September 19th. She last saw Miss Scott in her house at 8pm on Monday, February 22. She simply said "Goodbye" and left. She took nothing with her. Witness noticed nothing unusual about her. She left all her belongings in witness' home. Prior to leaving she had been to her usual manner. She was usually a very bright girl.
James Bennet Dales, railway employee, said he had known deceased for a few years. Witness took a house in Spey-street, about 12 months ago, and Smith insured the furniture. During the examination of the furniture by Smith, the latter saw a revolver lying in one of the drawers; he picked it up and said,
"ITS A DANGEROUS LOOKING WEAPON." Six months ago he called at witness's house and asked him if he would lend him the revolver to shoot cats in his back yard. Witness pointed out the danger of using firearms within the borough, but Smith said he would take the risks as he was well accustomed to such weapons. Witness gave him the revolver and also four cartridges. A few weeks later Smith said he had bought a further supply of cartridges and had shot nine cats. Several times since he had said he would bring the revolver along, and on Friday, before he disappeared he crossed Dee-st. to speak to witness, saying that he would return the weapon that night, as he had borrowed it too long. He did not return it, and that was the last witness saw of him. Witness said the revolver (produced) was an old one, brought out from the Old Country.
Coroner: You brought it out from England?
Witness: No, from the North of Ireland.
Inspector Norwood: Did you notice anything in Smith's demeanor? — He said on Friday, February 25, that things were getting desperate with him; and he said a good deal depended upon the result of a law-suit in Dunedin. Smith was very excited at the time, and his speech was incoherent.
To Lawyer Tait: His manner and speech gave me the impression that his affairs were reaching a climax. I could not say if he were irrational, but he was very excited. He was evidently in deep trouble of some kind.
This witness, after scanning, the revolver again, remarked to the coroner. "Excuse me, sir, but I do not want this revolver any more."
William Stewart, medical practitioner, stated that when he received the call to go to Tramway-road, he went at once. He saw two bodies in the bush; bodies of a man and woman. The bodies were still warm, death had not long since taken place. Witness made a superficial examination of the bodies at the morgue on the following day. There was a bullet wound in the region of Smith's right temple, from which there had been extensive bleeding. The brain substance exuded, and the bone surrounding the eye had been fractured. There were no other signs of injury. In Miss Scott's case the bullet was in the region of the left temple. It was a small circular wound, both smaller and cleaner than in the case of Smith's. The weapon in each case that had caused death had been held very close. The girl could have inflicted the wound by the right hand, but it was unlikely. If it were assumed that she did it herself, she most likely did it with the left hand. The fact that she had been found lying on her right side with her hands folded over her breast, and a coat across her feet, would indicate that she was in that position when shot, or that the body had been arranged after death.
Coroner: Death was instantaneous? — Not necessarily; but her appearance and the position she was found in would indicate that
DEATH HAD BEEN INSTANTANEOUS in her case.
Mr. Scott here remarked that his daughter was not "left handed." but was "right-handed."
Archibald Anderson, mounted constable, said that in consequence of the report that Smith and Miss Scott were missing, search parties had been organised on different dates by police and civilians. They searched a number of bushes in the Seaward district, and in each case they found numerous hiding places that had been occupied. On the morning that the bodies had been found, search parties had gone through the bush where the bodies were subsequently discovered, a warrant had been issued for the arrest of Smith for fulling to maintain his wife.
Silas Henry Taylor, a fitter in the Invercargill railway workshops, said he was out searching with others in the Seaward bush for the missing people on Sunday. March 12. At 2.15 p.m. he saw tracks and followed them up, he came across the man and girl in the scrub under a maimai. He was only three or four yards away from them. He looked into the maimai and saw Smith lying on his back on the ground with one arm up, and his hand under his head. As soon as Smith saw witness he reached over for his revolver.
Coroner: Where was Miss Scott? — I just noticed the outline of a woman lying down.
Witness, continuing, said that as soon as Smith seized the revolver he sprang into a crouching position and crept towards witness. The latter made for his mates and told them he had found the missing pair.
Coroner: You did not speak to Smith? — No. When I moved away I immediately went for the police.
When witness had gone some yards he heard the report of a revolver, and another shot later one. On reaching the police station he returned to the bush with Constables Classen and Jones, and discovered the bodies which were lying in the same position. He had heard no screams on the first occasion, and he had noticed no move in the girl at all when he first saw her. He did not see her face then. She was lying quite motionless as if asleep. When with the police they found the bodies, the girl was dead, and the man m a dying state.
Joseph Shepherd, laborer, Seaward Bush, said he was "hunting" with four others for the missing pair on the 12th, about 2.15 p.m., Taylor returned and said he had discovered them. He was advised to go for the police, and witness said he would sit and watch the track from the maimai into the higher bush. He sat there on a log for a few minutes, when a bullet suddenly whizzed right past his ear. He had heard two other shots, and had seen the smoke from the first shot from the maimai indicated.
Constable Joseph Classen stated that on the day already mentioned, he went to Seaward Bush on his cycle and organised a search party around the spot indicated. At 3.45 p.m. he came across the place. He had heard sounds of gurgling, what he thought was a person strangling. On entering the maimai the sounds were explained by the discovery that Smith was m his death agony. He found the girl lying on her back in a position and condition of complete repose. Her arms were folded across her bosom. The body was quite warm. There was a small bullet wound in the right temple. The body was scantily clad, not fully dressed. Smith was lying to the left of the girl, close beside her. He was on his back. He was in a dying condition, but unconscious. He lived until 4.30 p.m., dying before the doctor arrived. It seemed to witness that he was in a very nervous state, and making efforts to speak. One eye was closed as the result of the bullet wound, which was in the right temple, and still bleeding. The other eye was open. His overcoat was over the lower portion of both bodies. His hands were lying on his stomach, and the revolver lay between his legs. It appeared as if the revolver had fallen from his right hand. In forming the maimai the fuchias had been drawn together and a piece of carpet inserted between to make a covering. Witness found some potatoes, green apples and a few turnips, and a raw onion. A kerosene tin contained water, and there was a bottleful of creek water. He found a letter under Smith's arm containing a photo and written thereon,
"MY DARLING GRANDCHILD, GOD PROTECT HER!" "The girl's features," said Constable Classen, were in repose as if she died in her sleep. Smith was m his death agony when I arrived, and his features were considerably contorted. Smith may have fired both shots while sitting up and then fallen back. He could not have fired from a standing position. The girl may have been shot in her sleep. I consider that Smith shot her and then turned the weapon upon himself. She did not apparently resist, as she may have been asleep. Smith lived three quarters of an hour before he died. There was no money found on either of the bodies, but the girl, Scott, wore a wristlet watch.
The coroner remarked that it was evident from the letters that the idea of suicide was uppermost in Smith's mind for a considerable time, perhaps since he secured the revolver from Dales. Whether, though, one could say beyond all reasonable doubt that the girl Scott was killed by Smith is quite another matter. It seemed, however, a physical impossibility from the nature of the evidence to arrive at the conclusion that the girl shot herself.
"I think I can safely say, taking everything into consideration, that the girl was wilfully murdered by Smith. The verdicts will thus be: Myrtle Mildred Scott was wilfully murdered by Ernest Herbert Smith; and Ernest Herbert Smith committed suicide by shooting himself while of unsound mind." -NZ Truth, 25/3/1916.
The Invercargill Tragedy
Something More about Smith
"Truth" has received from a resident of Invercargill a statement contradicting the report in our last issue that the unfortunate woman, Myrtle Scott, had been confined m the home of the Smiths. Our correspondent, who is a regular reader of "Truth," and claims to have been a personal friend of Smith's, says that he is speaking for himself and of his own knowledge when he states that the girl was not confined at Smith's house, or that she was ever in the habit of visiting the house.
Referring to Mrs Smith, the widow of the deceased, our correspondent observes: "The old lady (Mrs. Smith) is about
AS GOOD A WOMAN as ever lived. She was interested in nothing but her family and no one can say she was neglectful in that respect. . . . That Smith was an out and out rotter, we all know now, but the most remarkable feature about him was his attitude in his home life."
"Truth" desires to thank its correspondent for the correction which he makes, and accordingly we hasten to give it publicity. It was not suggested or intended to be suggested that Mrs. Smith, or members of the Smith family, knew or connived at the misconduct of the deceased. What is painfully apparent is that Smith succeeded in leading a double life, and hoodwinked his wife and family. Indeed, in the cruel, the very, unfortunate circumstances, Mrs. Smith and the members of the family are entitled to every sympathy, in fact "Truth" hopes are receiving every sympathy. -NZ Truth, 1/4/1916.
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