TRAGIC OCCURRENCE AT A BALL.
Dunedin, This Day.
It is stated that a shooting case occurred at the Junction Hotel, about four miles out of town on the Port Chalmers road, last night. It seems that a dance took place there, during which a German rose up and shot a woman through the neck. It is not known yet whether the woman is dead.
Later. Some excitement was caused in the North East Valley last evening by a report of attempted murder and suicide; the report proved true. Boucamp Jacob Vandyke shot Mary Ann Wadsworth wounding her slightly, and afterwards attempted to take his own life. A party was being held in Cameron’s Upper Junction Hotel. The party was attended by about a dozen or more people among whom was Miss Wadsworth. Shortly after nine o’clock Vandyke entered the room where all the company were engaged in dancing, took a seat at the side of the room, but almost immediately rose to his feet, and presenting a revolver at Miss Wadsworth’s head, fired. Miss Wadsworth was at the time dancing with a young man, who had been invited to the party. The bullet grazed the side of her neck, and she fell into the arms of her partner. Vandyke, seeing the first shot had not taken effect, took aim, with the intention of firing again, but the revolver missed fire. Then he attempted to shoot himself, but, being rushed by the bye standers, the muzzle of the revolver was forced downwards, and the ball entered the floor. The men in the room having secured Vandyke proceeded to bind him with ropes, and at once sent for the police. Sergeant O’Neill lost no time in reaching the Junction Hotel, in company with Dr Martin, who attended to Miss Wadsworth’s injury. The wound has been ascertained to be of a very slight character, and the doctor is of opinion that the patient will be quite well in two or three days. Vandyke was conveyed to town by Sergeant O’Neill, who lodged him in the lockup shortly before 2 o'clock this morning. On searching him, among other things found on his person was a packet of cartridges. The bullet which struck Miss Wadsworth lodged in a sofa in the room from which it was recovered by the police. Vandyke is a gardener who has property at the Junction. He has resided there for about six years. He is a German by birth and apparently about 45 years old. Miss Wadsworth is 17 years of age, and the daughter of a dairymen well-known in the district. Vandyke is believed to have paid his addresses to her, and being accorded but slight incouragement he became jealous, this is the only motive assigned for the deed. -Marlborough Daily Times, 13/12/1884.
THE COURTS. — TO-DAY.
CITY POLICE COURT, (6 fore Messrs G, E, Eliott, J. Elmer, and W. Hutchinson, J.P.s.)
Drunkenness. — For this offence John Thomson and John Mayne were fined 10s, or forty-eight hours’ Imprisonment; Annie Whiteley, 5s, or twenty-four hours’; William Gilbert was discharged.
Obscene Language. — Annie Rattley pleaded guilty to a charge of using obscene language, and was fined 10s, or forty-eight hours’ imprisonment.
Alleged Forgery. — Thomas Jerome was charged with having, on the 19sh inst., feloniously forged an order for the payment of money, namely, a cheque on the Bank of Australasia for L45. — On tho application of Inspector Weldon the case was adjourned till Monday,
Attempted Murder. — Baucaup Jacob Vandyke was charged with shooting with a revolver at Mary Annie Wadsworth, on the 12th inst., with intent to murder her. Inspector Weldon conducted the prosecution, and Mr Stanford appeared for the accused. — A lad named Edward Lockston said that he worked on a farm near Opoho. He was at the Junction Hotel on the evening of the l2th inst. There was a dance there — a private party invited by Mr Cameron, proprietor of the hotel. At about a quarterpast nine o’clock accused came in at the door of the dance-room and sat down on a chair. He put his right hand into his coat pocket and then advanced forwards towards Miss Wadsworth and fired a revolver. She was standing up in one of the sets, and was about four or five yards away from him. Witness rushed towards accused, and he attempted to fire again, but could not do so. He then pointed the pistol at his own head, but it missed fire. A man named Potter get hold of him, and rushed him into the kitchen. When fired at, Miss Wadsworth staggered, and fell into the arms of her partner. Cross-examined: Witness could not swear that accused attempted to shoot himself, but he assumed that he did because be saw him point the pistol at his head. To the Bench: After accused was rushed into the kitchen, witness heard another shot fired. He had been in the dance-room about five minutes before he first fired. — Charles Edwin Bland, clerk, said that he lived at the Upper Junction, and was at the party in question, When accused fired first he had the revolver within a few feet of Miss Wadsworth’s head. She staggered, and witness saw blood coming from her neck. Accused pointed the pistol at her again, but did not appear to pull the trigger, as it did not snap. He then pointed it at his own head, and pulled the trigger, but it missed fire. Cross-examined: Witness was invited to the dance during the day. When accused pointed the pistol at his own head he pulled the trigger, and witness heard and saw it fall. Accused did not appear to be drunk. — Robert Martin, duly qualified and registered medical practitioner, stated that on the night of the 12th he examined Miss Wadsworth at the hotel She was suffering from two wounds in her neck; one below the lobe of the left ear, the other nearly three inches towards the back of the neck. There was very little bleeding. The wounds had the appearance of having been caused by a bullet such as the one produced. The wounds were not serious, the bullet having travelled under the skin from one wound to the other, probably after touching a bone. Miss Wadsworth had not recovered wholly, and it would be a fortnight before she was well. — Mr Stanford: Did you notice any other mark on her face or neck? — Witness: Yes; there was a black mark on her face, like that of gunpowder. To the Bench: I should judge that the shot was fired in front of Miss Wadsworth. — Allan Cameron, proprietor of the hotel, said that at about a quarter past nine on the 12th he was in the bar, and heard a report He went to the kitchen and saw accused being held down on the floor by two or three persons, and witness gave a hand to tie him. A man named Chris Hansen took a revolver (produced) from accused and handed it to witness. Cross-examined: Accused was in the bar at about 7.30, and again later on. Witness had not asked accused to the party, but he had asked the Wadsworths two days previously. — Mary Ann Wadsworth stated that she lived with her parents at Mount Cargill. She went to the dance at about nine o’clock. While up in a set, with a Mr Johnson as her partner, she was shot in the neck. She saw accused in the bar as she went into the hotel, and subsequently she saw him in the dance room. She saw him go right up to her and a shot went off. She screamed and put her head on one side, and she was wounded in the neck. She saw the revolver in his hand after he fired, and he was pointing it about the room. She had known accused by sight for about twelve months; he lived about two miles away from her parents’ place. She had never spoken to him in her life; he had at times bidden her mother “Good morning," but witness never spoke to him. — Mr Stanford did not cross-examine this witness. — Catherine Wadsworth, mother of the last witness, said the latter was nearly seventeen years of age. Witness was not at the dance. She knew accused by sight, but knew nothing of him except that he used to pass their place and sometimes said “Good morning" to her. He was never in their house. Between twelve and one on the 12th witness and her daughter were driving home in their milk-cart and passed accused in his cart. They were driving fast, and as they passed him he waved his hand, and shouted out “Hey!’’ three times. He then followed them as fast as he could until he came to the road where he turned off to his own place. When he reached the turn he stamped his foot three times and seemed to be very angry. Cross-examined: Witness had once spoken to accused about something which she heard a Mr Wood had said to him about her husband. — Constable Walker, stationed in the Valley, said that on the shooting affair being reported to him he went to the hotel and attested the accused. On searching him witness found a case on him containing nine revolver cartridges. The witness Cameron pointed out a hole in the sofa in the room where Miss Wadsworth was fired at, and in it witness found the bullet produced. It is similar to the bullets in the cartridges previously mentioned. Cameron handed witness the revolver produced, and said it was taken from the prisoner. Witness found that two of the chambers had been recently discharged, and three of them were still loaded. One of the unexploded cartridges bore a mark showing that the hammer had struck it, but too far beyond the outer edge to explode it. Cross-examined: Witness had inquired as to the purchase of the revolver by accused, and found that it had been purchased within the last two months. Witness had had a great deal of experience with firearms; he gained his experience in Ireland. He believed that the mark on the unexploded cartridge mentioned was caused as he had stated. — Accused was committed for trial at the ensuing sessions. — Mr Stanford asked that bail be allowed, there being nothing to show that the offence was of a grave character or so serious as the public prints would show. It might turn out to have been a drunken row, or something of that trivial nature, for there was nothing to show malice on the part of accused. Very much more serious offences were committed frequently. — Sergeant-major Bevin, in the temporary absence of Inspector Weldon, objected to bail being granted. He submitted that the offence was an exceedingly serious one, for it was a deliberate attempt at murder. The inhabitants in the district where he lived were also frightened of accused. Mr Stanford repeated that the offence was an exceedingly slight one. — Sergeant-major Bevin maintained that it could not have been more serious. —Mr Eliott said that a majority of the Bench had consented to bail being granted. Accused would be admitted to bail; himself in L200, and two sureties in Ll50 each. — Mr Stanford: Your Worships, that is practically prohibitive bail; the accused is a poor man. — Mr Eliott: It is the decision of the Bench. Evening Star, 20/12/1884.
At his subsequent trial Vandyke was found guilty of attempted murder and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.
The employees of Messrs Irvine and Stevenson presented Mr John Irvine, on the occasion of his marriage, with a souvenir in the form of a marble clock. Mr B. Smith made the presentation. -Evening Star, 13/4/1892.
Marriage.
Irvine-Wadsworth. On the 12th April, at the residence of the bride's parents, by the Rev. Mr Davidson, John Irvine, eldest son of Mr James Irvine, merchant, to Mary Ann, eldest daughter of Mr Daniel Wadsworth, Mount Cargill. -Evening Star, 28/12/1892.
DEATHS
IRVINE — On March 1, 1959, at Dunedin, Mary Ann, beloved wife of John Irvine, 53 Filleul street; aged 81 years. — Private interment. — Hope and Kinaston, funeral directors. -Otago Daily Times, 2/3/1950.
No comments:
Post a Comment