ATTEMPTED MURDER AT PAKARAE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2213, 10 June 1908, Page 2

ATTEMPTED MURDER AT PAKARAE.

A JEALOUS LOVER.

FIRES TWO SHOTS AT A CIRL. THE VICTIM IN A PRECARIOUS CONDITION. the man arrested. ; Early yesterday afternoon news was received in Gisborne that a young man had attempted to shoot Ins sweetheart at the I‘akarao Hotel, i’akarae. The information first came to Dr. Collins, who was telephoned for ■ to go to Pakarao to attend to a young girl who had been shot by a man armed with a revolver. Mr. >V. A. Barton, S.M., who is on his way to hold a sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Tologa Ray, and happened to be staying at the hotel, also telephoned to the Gisborne police that a murder had been attempted. Dr. Collins set out shortly after threo o’clock in his motor-car, and Sergeant Hutton at once despatched Detective Rawle to the scene. Provision was also mado by the sergeant for a horse and conveyance to meet the doctor , and the detective at Tatapoiuii, and for relays of horses to moot them at various distances along the route. Pakarae was reached at about six o’clock, when it was found that a girl named Minnie Petersen, about .years of ago, employed at the hotel as a waitress, and who is a daughter of Mr. Oils Petersen, of Disraeli Street, Gisborne, a well-known employee off the Borough Council, had received two shots from a revolver. Dr. Collins found that one bullet entered the head through the oh,in. and the other passed under the collarbone, piercing a large 'blood vessel, from which blood flowed freely, rendering the unfortunate girl unconscious and in such a low condition that fatal results are anticipated. Dr. Collins stopped the bleeding, but was unable l to extract the bullet owing to the patient’s condition, and stayed at Pakarao all night to attend to the patient. At about 8 o’clock lie telegraphed to Dr. Reeve, asking him to go up and assist in extracting tlie bullet, and both medical men will use every effort to save the girl’s life. iA’young man named AValter Symons, 26 years of age, employed at the hotel, is alleged to have fired tlie shots, and has been take 6 into custody by Detective Rawle. ' It transpires that Symons was engaged to .be married to the girl for some time past, and was for the last two weeks a patient in the Gisborne Hospital suffering from an injury to his leg. He returned to Pakarae on Monday, presumably taking with him the revolver with which lie is alleged to have committed the crime. Yesterday, at about 2 o’clock, lie called tlie girl out into the back yard of the hotel, and some words passed between them. After some talking Symons was seen to draw tlie revolver and fire straight into the girl’s ' face. As she staggered he fired another 6liot at her heart, but was too high in his aim to pierce the vital organ. The young man then turned, • the firearm upon himself, but was overpowered before lie could do any injury. • At a late hour last night, the girl > was still unconscious, anfl her recovi cry is looked upon as hopeless. Her ' depositions will bo taken before the f Stipendiary Magistrate (Mr. Barton) 1 as soon as she is able to state what ; occurred.

It is reported that Symons does not deny it was his intention to take his sweetheart’s life, and afterwards lijs own. The cause of the crime is thought to be jealousy. The girl’s mother and brother left for Pakarao yesterday evening, but though the father had been told something was wrong, lie did not know it was of a serious, nature. Father Lane also went up to adminilliy part icular "crime,• as' tTJTr police deem it advisable to wait to-day to see what turn the girl’* condition might take before preferring the charge. At about nine o’clock last night Constable Dandy was sent to the scene by Sergeant Hutton, and Symons will be brought to Gisborne to-day. N