The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-11-07 00:00:00

THE SHOOTING CASE AT THE SUGAR LOAF
FARM.

Mr. W. H. Phillips, district coroner, rammed the
inquest upon Effie Elizabeth Davis on fiat trday
morning last, at the Crown Inn, Iverley.
Mr. G. Perry was present on behalf of the fricnje
of the deceased; and Mr. C. Herbert Cas for
Nathaniel Brookhonse Averill, wise has ben under
arrest on a charge of shooting the deceased.
Mrs. Caroline Davis, mother cf the Jecca el, said
that on Sunday evening MiFs Averill came to her
house, and witness went to the door. Miss Averill's
brother stood near. Miss Averill came %ith an
invitatien to the deceased to come to tea the fol-
lowing day. A little after three o'clock on 81 day
afternoon her daughter started away alone ti keep
the invitation. Her daughter had been to the
farm before. On Monday evening, abut six
o'clock, prisoner came to the shop where her hus-
band was and asked him to come up to the farm,
as Effie was very bad. Witness took held of him
and said, "Oh, is she hurt P" and prisoner said some
one has shot her. Witness asked if she vt as dead,
and he said she was not when he started. She
asked him, for Gol's sake, to fetch a doctor, and
she flew to the farm, her husband also sunning with
her. She found her daughter lying dt ad in the
drawing room with a piece of music in For hand.
In a short time prisoner came in, and then was the
conversation spoken to by previous witnesses.
Benjamin Vincent, spade and shovel finisher,
Wood Street, Wollaston. said on Monday last he
saw the prisoner in the bare at Sugar-loaf Farm,
with his father and uncle, about four o'clock,
Witness and another man went to buy some fowls.
but they had to wait. While they went to catch
the fowls, he saw young Averill come out with a
double-barrelled gun. He came cut of she front
door. Witness spoke to him, and cautioned him to
be careful with the gun. Three-guru ten of an hour
after this he heard the report ot a gun. Witness
and Mrs. Averill were in the fowl pen at the time.
The report d'd not appear a great way cif. He
should put it about one hundred yards tree. the
fowlpeu. It was quite dusk tLen, about a quarter
to six. He and the other man were standin.; at the
foldyard gate for a quarter of an hour after hear-
ing th 3 r. port. Young Amin came r und from the
flout of ti e house down the drive towards wanes..
He had not a gun in his hand then. Witre is asked
him what was the matter. He asked this because
Mrs. Averid had been calcd, and had run into the
house When witness asked what was the matter,
young Aferill said, "Have you seen anyone non?
Some one has shot, and shot a little girl de-41."
Witness said he had better go and fe'ch a pul.ce•
man, Young Averill started away afterwa-ds on a
pony,

_
Sergeant Head, of Kinver, said after the adjourn-
ment of the inwst en Friday he extracted the
shots produced from the wall at the back of the
pianofor:e. There were twenty of them. He had
opened one of the cartridges which Sergeant Oakey
had referred to that he had from ti e prisoner. The
size of the shot correspondel. Tiltr highest a:_ot in
the wall was sft. 61u. from the floor of the room.
The shots were spread ovt r a space of 17in. by 15in.
The top of the back of _the cottage pianoforte in the
room was 43. 3in., and from the floor to the ke3 s
of the piano 3ft. sin. lle had not discovered an
empty cartridge. He had made search fur it.
There was no other evidence that he could produce
to the jury. Ile had no reason to believe that
further material evidence could be obtained.

Mr. Perry wished to ask the prisoner one or two
quo t Vous, and the same caution waz given him
as on Friday. Prisoner was then questioneC. ah to
the remarks the la,t witn, es &posed he made to
him, and he admit:ed h. did did ask Vincent if he had
seen anyone run away.
The Coroner, hd.ving carefully summed up, the
jury returned a verdict that the deceased was shot
by Nathaniel Brookhouse Averill, mad that it was
the result of an accident.

The jury wished some remarks to be addressed to
Averill by the Coroner, who said: I hardly know
how to express myself in sufficiently strong terms,
not with regard to the occurrence itself, bccause
that is somehow wrapped in mystery as to how the
gun went off; but ;your conduct afterwards deberves
the greatest blame. Bad you disclosed in tbe first
instance what you have since said, the matter would
have been satisfactorily explained at once; mad any
amount of suspicion and inconvenience occaticned
to you, and cast upon you. is entirely yonr t,wn
fault, You may have been the innocent cause of
deceased's dea tb, the jury say you have been ; but
nothing will exouse pin for having lied under such
circumstances, causing an immense deal of trouble
and a great deal of anxiety to many. The Coroner
added that the jury wished to express their extreme
sympathy for the friends of the deceased,—. young
Averill was a good deal touched by no corwa.'r's
remarks.

1 BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—Mr. 11. Bißingham pre-
sided at the usual meeting of this Board yeserday.
Admitted 11, born 1, discharged 13, dead 1, re.
mainiug 557, against 664. Out-door relief, King-
swinford £45 9s sd. Stourbridge £29 15s id.
Halesowen £24 17s 6d, non-resident. £2 12. ; tot d
£lO2 3s 91 against £9B is 90. A letter was re.
ceived from the Local Government Board enclos-
ing an order that the Guardians should be elected
in future for 3 years.
DRUNKENNESS.—At the Police Court yesterday,
before Colonel Fletcher, and Messrs. A. Freer, It.
L. Freer, and T. D. Thomas, William Hamlet was
I charged with being drunk and incapable on the let
inst. P.C. Davis proved the case. Fined 2s 6d
I and costs.—Joseph Ilingley, the elder, A as charged
with being drunk at the Lye, on the 28th ult. P.S.
Cop • p•ov, di he case. Prey HMS C nvictiotts were
agaiio,. the defendant who was now fined 58 and
costs.—Jahez Wire was charged with being drank
and disorderlygon the let inst, at Hagley. P.C.
Day proved the case. Fined 5s and °oats,
THROWING STONES —Joseph Price and Charles
Price (boys), were charged with throwing stones on
the Ist inst. P.C. Farley proved the ease and said
Lo saw the defendants throwing at a board in Clif-
ton:Street. Mr. Wheeler said he had received a
great many complaints from Le ii.lial.,:tants ef
ill's str, et as to the stone throwing nuisance and he
asked that a small fine be imposed as a caution.
Deftudanto were fihed Sc including costs.
STILLING ilKolf. =0 Frederick Meredith (14