SHOT HIMSELF.
DID HE ALSO INTEND TO SHOOT HIS WIFE?
A DUNEDIN TRAGEDY.
[per press association.] Dunedin February 1. Between 7.30 and 8 o'clock to-night Samuel Lewis Brooks, who had recently been employed as a fireman on the s.s. Maheno, made what is believed to be an attempt to murder his wife and then, with a revolver, shot himself through the head, death being instantaneous.
Brooks has, for the past two or three weeks been residing with his mother-in-law, Mrs Elizabeth Cameron, at Maori Hill. During this time he appears to have been cohabiting with his wife, from whom it is stated he had been separated for the past five years.
In the course of the last day or two there had been frequent quarrels between the husband and wife, and Brooks threatened to take proceedings against his wife for divorce.
To-night he returned home from town, the effects of drink being noticeable on him, and after tea he had an altercation with his wife in the scullery.
Blows succeeded angry words, and Mrs Brooks became partially unconscious. In this state she had heard one or more shots fired from a revolver which apparently Brooks carried, but whether they were fired with intent to do her harm or not she is not positive.
Another son-in-law of Mrs Cameron's, George Thorns, came to the house at this juncture. He grappled with Brooks, who immediately turned the revolver on himself and blew his brains out. A five-chambered revolver was found beside the body with four chambers discharged. -Feilding Star, 2/2/1909.
DOMESTIC TRAGEDY AT DUNEDIN.
THE INQUEST.
[BY TELEGRAPH. — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, 3rd February.
The inquest on the body of Samuel Lewis Brooks, who shot himself at Maori Hill on Monday night, opened to day.
Elizabeth Margaret Cameron, mother-in-law of deceased, said her daughter had been married to the deceased for about seven years. They lived together for about two years, but during the remaining five years lived separately. Deceased, who was a fireman on the Maheno, missed his passage at Wellington about 19th January, and returned to Dunedin. Mrs. Brooks was at that time in Auckland, and last Saturday she came down to Dunedin. After tea on Monday night angry words passed between deceased and his wife. Mrs. Brooks was asking deceased for a ring of hers. Deceased, using an oath, refused to give it. Mrs. Brooks insisted on having it, and witness went out to try to make peace between them. Deceased said to his wife: "I will divorce you," and then stated he had been to see a solicitor that day. Her daughter replied that he could divorce her, as she never intended to live with him again. He then threatened to strike her, and she retaliated with a sneering remark, upon which he struck her and pushed her against the scullery bench. Deceased then struck her several times on the head, and she made efforts to protect her face. Witness went into the kitchen, and asked her husband to separate them. He refused, saying he would not interfere between man and wife. Witness then went back to the scullery, and three revolver shots were fired. After a fourth shot was fired deceased fell.
Dr. Hastings said death was due to a bullet-wound. Witness did not think the fractures present in the head could all have been caused by the bullet, but the fall would account for them.
Evidence was also given by David Cameron, husband of Mrs. Cameron. Notwithstanding that this witness was in the kitchen during the whole progress of the quarrel, and while the shooting was going on, he made no effort to interfere or assist, but sat calmly on the sofa. His reasons for so doing were that he was frightened — that anybody would be — and it was only when the whole business had subsided that he ventured into the scullery. In the course of his evidence he said he heard three revolver shots fired in quick succession. He remained where he was, as he was frightened, and "had more sense than to run into the mouth of 'that.'" Witness went into the scullery when the shooting was over and the noise subsided. He heard shots and screaming and struggling, but throughout he remained where he was.
Sub-Inspector Norwood stated that Mrs. Brooks was in a private hospital. The bullet had penetrated her cheek, and had come out just under the eye. No one was allowed to see her, and she would not be available for the inquest for four days. The enquiry was adjourned until Monday. -Evening Post, 4/2/1909.
ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.
The Maori Hill Tragedy
(Per United Press Association.) DUNEDIN, February 8.
The inquest on the body of Samuel Lewis Brooks, who shot himself at Maori Hill last Monday, was concluded to-day.
Annie Brooks, wife of deceased, stated that after some words had been exchanged deceased fired two shots from a revolver, one of which struck her on the cheek and the second touched the back of her head, making it bleed. She then rushed outside, and a third shot was fired. Dr Fitchett said there were three wounds about Mrs Brooks' head. One wound was immediately in front of the left ear, a round punctured wound, with a good deal of charring on the surrounding skin, the second was a triangular lacerated wound immediately below the left eye, and the third was on the back of the head, on the right side. The wound near the ear and that below the eye were in communication. He concluded that these wounds had been caused by a bullet which entered the front of the ear and glanced off the bone and emerged beneath the eye. The wound at the back of the head was a longitudinal abrasion, such as might have been caused by the bullet glancing over the skin. The jury returned a verdict that deceased came by his death from a bullet wound self-inflicted while in a temporary fit of insanity. -Wanganui Herald, 9/2/1909.
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