1930-01-21 — Page 2

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36. MR. BURNETT ADJUDGED INSANE BY CORONER'S JURY.

BUSINESS SOUND.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1930.-

Licence. 1 BAW the last witness | Burnott's dining room. They were pick up an empty cartridge case folding doors, opening outwards. from behind the settee, which he Into the drawing room, and the gave to me. From the pocket of position in which the bullet was Mrs. Burnett's jacket which she found was consistent with its hav- was wearing, I removed these two ing ricochetted from a point on

letters. There is nothing relative the wall inflented in a photograph, MAKE THIS

the removal of the bodies the same:

in them. One in addressed, from her son and one from a friend in London. They reveal a perfectly normal state of affairs, and she obviously put them in her pocket That Mr. Burnett, committed before dinner. I superintended murder and suicide while tent night, between mid-night and, 1 porarily insane was the verdict returned by the jury at the en- Inspector Logan showed me quiry concluded before Mr. Hamil- this letter written by Mrs. Burnett ton at the Central Magistracy yes December 27. It

to her son. The letter is dated is perfectly the terday afternoon, Into

normal and is addressed to her son *the circumstances attending tragic deaths of Mr. G. W. O. care of the Steamship Company at Burnett and his wife, Caroline Columbo, which would meet him on Elizabeth, which occurred on New his voyage to Hongkong. Year's Day, when they were found shot dead in the drawing room of their home at No. 119, The Peak.

Police Sergeant J. E. Scott, police armourer, said: cramined the two bullets. (exhibits 1 and 2), and they are 32 automatic pistel bullets. The pistol (produced) is a.32 automatic and of the same

The Coroner Do you know if the "oung man is still coming out? Witness: I understand he is, Your Worship, so far as I know.

Mr, D. C. Wilson:-He sailed on January 17,

Shot from Behinde

The Coronar (lo Mr. King) You have made a detailed enquiry, Do you believe the possibility of outside influence?-

calibre. The bullets are consistent with their having been fired re. cently. The, pistol was shown to

Mr. King: After a careful and me by Sub-Inspector Logan, on January 6, and was apparently in detalled enquiry, I am of the good working order. The magazine opinion that Mr. Burnett entered fits the pistol and contained six .32 the drawing room by the hall door, automatie cartridges.

which, as shown in the photographs Police Sergeant Coleman said:roduced) is partly open, walken On the night of January 1st. at behind the settee and shot his wife about 10.28 p.m. I was called into without her having the slightest the charge room at the Peak Police knowledge of what was going on, Station where I saw a Chinese male then went over to the arm chair who told me he was a "boy" at 110, and shot himself with his left hand, The Peak. In consequence of what The Coroner: Did you, in the he reported to me, I proceeded to course of your duties, meet Mr. the house. I went in through the Burnett ?-I did meet him.

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drawing room. There I saw Mr. Burnett sitting in an arm chair, He was holding an automatic pistol, similar to the one produced, in his left hand, and he was bleeding pro- fusely from the ears and nose. examined the body but could find no signs of life. I then went over to Mrs. Burnett who was sitting, with her feet up, on the seller. I examined lier for signs of life, but could find none. 1 could see the was shot in the top of the head. She had her spectacles on and a paper was lying on her lap, whilst hey hands were folded in her up. Trang up Mr. T. H. King and informed him of what I had found

also handed úng, 2 Ka

Business Affairs

"Mr. D. C. Wilson,'

Wilson busincas man

ho had

ager of the Newspaper Enterprise Company, Limited, said known Mr. Burnett for four-and- half years. Besides the News- paper Enterprise, Mr. Burnett also controlled the Hongkong Sunday Herald Publishing Company and Hongkong Dollar Directory Com pany which were separate busi-

ness concerns..

The Coroner:-Have you any think that he was reason to desperately worried over his bust- ness?-No, I have not.

In reply to other questions Mr. Wilson said that Mr. Burnett was popular with his staff and also with outsiders. Mr. Burnett was in great demand as a humourlat at entertainments, and he entertained the Shaforce when it was here last. The first witness know of the tragedy was at 8.30 am. on Jah rary 2, when a European desactive came up to his house at Quarry Boy and said that Mr. Burnett was dead. When witness heard that he got a shock,

In reply to the Coroner witness said that Mr. Burnett was usually very excited and hot-tempered, but his tumper would be of only very short duration. The last time he saw Mr. Burnett was at 5.15 p.m. on New Year's Day, when they passed each other in rickshas op posite the Kowloon Hotel, and ex- changed salutations.

The Coroner:-Did you know he was suffering from a weak heart? I found that he had a weak heart.

Are you capable of giving any opinion as to his mentality-On occasions in which I have met him In business I should describe him as normal, but I have known he wasree or twice he had attacks in his of an excitable temper.

Position at Bank.

Mr. Hegarty, Chief Accountant, Hongkong and Shunghal Bank, said that Mr. Burnett had been to see him with a view to securing a Feduction of $2,000. of his over- draft, that being in respect of the Newspaper Enterprise Account.

In reply to the Coroner, the wit- Bess and that as far as the Bank was concerned, Mr. Burnett should have no reason to worry to the ex- tent of suicide. Witness under-

office.

In reply to the Coroner, witness said that business had definitely improved within the last three to four years, The various "Com- panica were carrying on.

Mr. J. T. Dobbie, Editor of the China Mail and Sunday Herald, said he had known Mr. Burnett five years exactly to a day. About ten days before the tragedy, Mr. Burnett informed witness that the business was better in December than in the corresponding month in previous years. Witness had no iden that Mr. Burnett was going |

commit suicide.

I noticed a number of letters on Mr.stood that Mr. Burnett was ina Burnett's right-hand side. They better business position than het numbered five. I also picked up an had been for the last three or four empty cartridge shell from behind'

years." That" of course was hear- Mr. Barnett's chair and I saw assay, but from the point of view of other one behind the sofu where the Bank, there was no reason why Mrs. Burnell was. 1 noticed on

the matter of the overdraft should mark on the frame work of one of have been a cause for desperate the windows. It was a recent chip, worry. Mr. Burnett had paid the and appeared to be caused by the interest on the overdraft bullet which apparently went through Mr. Burnett's end. The door.which led into the hall was half way open.

read them out aloud.

į

Foreman of the Jury:-We would like to know the amount of over

draft.

Mr. Hegarty:-. don't like. Your Worship, to give the figure. I don't know that I am at liberty to do so.. I can tell you that it is fully secured if that sutisfies you.

Luter, witness said that the over- I'draft was not a large sum,

The Coroner having remarked that in his opinion he did not think it right to direct Mr. Hegarty to dis- close the private affairs of the Company, the matter was left at

This concluded the evidence.

Coroner's Summing Up.

have

In his address to the jury, the Coroner said in a case like 'that there were two possibilities, of homicide and suicide. They had heard Mr. King's evidence and the evidence of the police generally, which so far as Mrs., Burnett was concerned, appeared to be homicide, Mr. Hegarty If it must be ask- They had ample evidence lendered The Corner. (to the Jury)-Ied 1 must give it in answer of which would show that Mrs. shall allow you to see the letters, but i see no reason why I should course, but I do not know if I am Burnett was entirely unaware of

privileged to do so.

what was going to happen. He The Foreman Intimated that (the Coroner), must inform them One of the letters written by Mr. they would be satisfied with an..that even, if Mrs. Bernett had been Burnett, apparently contained a radication whether the amount was aware and had agreed to it, the fact ference to an overdraft, and the

large or small,

remained that the cause of death Corner said he would call Mr

was a gun-shot wound fired by Mr. Hegarty, the Chief Accountant, to

Burnett. The verdict in that case show that although there was

would be legally

one of murder slight overdraft as mentioned it

against her husband; Mr. Burnett. was nothing serious....

Continuing, the Coroner said that Mr. King's Evidence,

in regard to Mr. Burnett himself they would

to form the The jury then read the five letters

ominion whether or not he died by left behind by the deceased

his own handa. Having arrived at gentleman, after which Mr. T. H.

this point, it would be for the jury Kini, the Director of Criminal In-

to decide whether Mr. Burnett telligence, gave evidence, during

fed those 1 shots and if they which he said:At 10.40 pm, on that.

found he did fire them, whether, or January 1, I received a telephone Sub-Inspector Logan, in charge not at the time he was

in full message from the last witness. I of the. Penk Polfee Station, said he ossession of his wits (ie, whether called Dr. Strahan (the first wit-wan on leave on the night of Jan- he was sane or whether he was nesa) and went with him to No. uary 1, when he heard of the oc not sane). They had heard evi- 110, The Peak. We went incurrence and -hurried to No. 110, donce which would go to show through the basement and I found The Peak. Arriving there at 12 that, as far as worldly considera- the last witness in the house and o'clock, he found Mr. King and tins went, Mr. Burnett was not in in charge. I went into the draw other police officers in charé. Wit the position when he should want ing room, Dr. Strahan examined ness later assisted in removing the to commit suicide. They had also the Lodies of Mr. and Mrs. bodies under Mr. King's super-heard Dr. Cannon's and other Burnett in the position which he vision.

medical evidence which would help described in his evidoneu. Five Me King:-Did you later make them to come to an opinion as to Jetters were on a stand on Mr. a search of the premises, on Jan- the stath of health and mind Mr. Burnett's right hand. Apart from uary-47-Yes, I found this letter Burnett, was in before the tragedy. the two dead bodies, the room was in a desk upstairs in what is known with regard to evidence of crime, in perfect order. "I took from Mr. as the spare bedroom, next to Mrs.or of suicide (whatever the jury Burnett'a left hand this pistol Burnett's bedroom, I handed it to might like to find), there was thin (produced); I removed one live the C.D.I,, Mr. Murphy,

fact revealed of a singular line of bullet from the chamber and the Shown the bullet, marked as ex- thought having heen diepinyed by magazine which contained five hibit 2, witness said that on the the decoused in the preparation. other bullets. It is a weapon for 4th, three days after the tragedy. That was not unusual bearing in which Mr. Burnett held an Arms he found it behind the door of Mr. (Continued on Page 15)

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