CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2992, 1 February 1917, Page 7

CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER

o THE PAHI SENSATION. By Telegraph—Press Assn. Auckland, January 31. A sequel to the recent sensational occurrence- at Pain was the appearance at the Police Court of Thomas Edward Watts Skelton upon a charge of attempted murder .of his wife, Alice Mory Skolton. Mr. A.. M'Veigh, who appeared! for accused, applied for a remand for eight days, and stated that ho had information that showed that the accused was mentally defective, and , it was his intention to make applciation to the Minister of Justice for an order for medical examination of the man. The Magistrate saidl that under the circumstances he could not seo his way to grant a remand. Alice Mary Skelton stated that on Sunday, January 14, her husband went fishing. Just before- ho returned she saw her husband lying in the launch in the hot sunshine. She called! to him, and in a little while he camo ashore, when she said, "What is the matter with you?" He replied, "I don't know. I don't know." "At the house my husband," said ! witness, ■ "told me to put the baby down while he killed me. .He caught mo by the throat, and gavo me several blows on the templo with his closed fist: After releasing me he said he would get a razor and kill me,.and the children afterwards. He then went out of the room, when I picked up the baby and ran out of the house." ■ Cross-oxaminod, witness said she parted with her husband on Sunday morning on the best of terms. Ho had a peculiar look in his eyes, and she , had seen it slightly before. She accounted for his strange outbreak by thinking that the sun hadl affected his brain. She had thought on several occasions that her Irasfemd was not quite right. She was sure her husband was quito sober when he carne ■ from the beach. The arresting eopstabl© also gave evidence as to accused's.peculiar manner. On being informed of his intended arrest, Skelton said, "The first I knew I had done anything was when I saw the crockory broken in the house. If I am punished for this I will be punished for a thing I know nothing a,bout. I am sorry for anything I have done to.my little ivifo. I;had only a small glass of beer and a drop of homo-made beer, and that would not make me drunk. Tho sun must havo affected me." Accused reserved his defence, and w«s committed, for trial, hair not being applied l for. ,