The events of June 1908:
Eda had been divorced by her first husband (who named Hugh Dunn as co-respondent) and married Dunn who was 13 years younger than herself. Hugh was known to beat Eda cruelly when he was drunk. In May/June 1908, Eda sought refuge from Hugh by staying with her brother J W Rosier jnr.

On the evening of 5 June 1908, Dunn arrived unannounced at JWR jnr’s home to retrieve Eda. Various arguments ensued, and eventually there was an struggle between JWR jnr and Hugh Dunn. During this event, Dunn grabbed a loaded shotgun that was lying around Rosier’s house and, in the struggle, the gun was discharged, wounding Dunn fatally in the chest.

JWR jnr, to his surprise, was charged by the police with murder and placed in custody. A coroner’s enquiry on the 17th June 1908 into the death of Hugh Dunn became a mini murder trial for JWR jnr. At the end of the hearing, the coroner’s jury found that the shooting had been accidental, and that blame did not attach to any person.

The next day, the police withdrew the murder charge against Rosier.

The case made news in Victoria and the adjoining states of NSW and SA. The following are copies of some of these reports: