Leverton, John

New Zealand Spectator and Cook''s Strait Guardian 2 November 1850
CORONER''S INQUEST.
An Inquest was held on Tuesday, and by adjournment the following day, at the Thistle Inn, Thorndon, before Dr. Fitzgerald, Coroner, on the body of James McKillop who was shot at the Taitai by John Leverton on Sunday morning last. From the evidence of G. G. Buck, who keeps the Traveller''s Rest, Taitai, confirmed by other witnesses, it appeared that on Saturday afternoon 26th instant, the deceased called at the house of witness between 5 and 6 o''clock in company with a man named Robinson on his way to the Hutt bridge; witness went to the school where he remained till between nine and ten o''clock, and on his return found McKillop and Leverton at his house Leverton went away about ten; shortly after witness went into the tap to fetch the lamp and saw there McKillop, Stephens, and two or three other persons; Stephens told McKillop not to call at his house so often at night as he had done lately, when McKillop, using at the same time abusive language, took the heavy lamp from the table and flung it at Stephens, it missed him and struck the wall; finding he had missed his aim, be stretched across the table and caught hold of Stephens striking him several times in the face; a scuffle ensued and Stephens dragged McKillop outside the house. McKillop returned, and near 11 o''clock witness was obliged to turn McKillop, who was tipsy, out of the house; the following morning about four o''clock, witness was informed that McKillop had been shot by Leverton, and he went in company with David Porter to Leverton''s where he saw McKillop with a blanket over him in a place under Leverton''s bunk groaning very much; witness called a doctor who was stayiug at his house and went with him to Leverton''s. McKillop was a violent man when in liquor, and was often tipsy, and in the habit of threatening persons when in that state when at Leverton''s witness noticed the nails of the ketch of the door drawn and an axe inside; Leverton was sober when he left witness'' house. A. E. McDonogh, Sub-Inspector of Police, Wellington, deposed, that about 4 o''clock in the afternoon of Sunday the 27th instant, he received information that the deceased J. McKillop of the Taitai in the Hutt district had been shot by John Leverton; he immediately prepared to proceed thither, when shortly afterwards deceased and Leverton were brought down by T. Florence, constable; witness ordered Leverton to be taken to the station-house, and deceased was put into a house adjoining the Colonial Hospital. Being informed by Dr. Monteith, who had examined the wound, that deceased could not possibly live, witness took the deposition of deceased on oath, and shortly afterwards a more full statement on oath by deceased was taken by the Resideut Magistrate and witness in the presence of the prisoner, which was to the following effect:- Deceased stated he had been a servant to John Leverton for about three months, that on Saturday 26th instant he went down to the Hutt Bridge, and on his return met Leverton at Buck''s public house at the Taitai where he remained in his company several hours. Leverton left Buck''s and about the middle of the night he also went home and, finding the door fastened on the inside, he called to Leverton to let him in; he told him he might go and sleep in the barn; deceased said it was too cold to sleep there; prisoner said he did not care he would not get up; deceased then threatened if he was not let in to smash the door open; Leverton replied if he did so he would shoot him; deceased took up a stick and broke open the door, and at the same time heard the report of a gun and found himself wounded in the lower part of the belly; Leverton then said oh, Jemmy, and began to cry; deceased staggered to his bunk and lay down; deceased said there was no ill feeling between him and the prisoner, that, on the contrary, he was always kind to him that he (deceased) had loaded the fowling piece a few days before to frighten some maories; he loaded it in Leverton''s presence; deceased said he was not sober when he went home. In answer to a question from prisoner''s counsel, deceased, stated he did not say he would smash the door open with an axe, but that the axe was inside the house; he did not, to his knowledge, use any threats of violence towards the prisoner; deceased further said there was but one room in the house and two bunks, one over the other; prisoner slept in the upper one and deceased in the lower one.
By the Jury - Deceased was quite collected when be gave his evidence; had known deceased for some years, he was a great drunkard, and when tipsy a very violent character; deceased stated that Leverton had a glass or two but was quite sober when he left Buck''s.
G. D. Monteith, Surgeon, deposed, that having been sent for he went to the Taitai where he saw deceased at Leverton''s house, on examining him be found a gun shot wound immediately below the navel with a large portion of the intestine protruding; witness found it impossible to return it without an operation, and caused deceased to be conveyed to Wellington to a house adjoining the Hospital where witness enlarged the wound and returned the intestine; he gradually sunk and died on Tuesday morning; on a post mortem examination witness found the intestines immediately under the wound pierced in several places by slugs and wadding; mortification had taken place which together with internal hemorrage had caused death; had no doubt deceased died from the effect of the wound before described; Leverton appeared very anxious about deceased.
The Jury returned a verdict of Manslaughter against Leverton who has been committed to take his trial at the next criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court.