SENSATIONAL CRIME

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 11, 8 October 1918, Page 6

SENSATIONAL CRIME

maU charged with attempted MURDER A WIFE'S TERRIBLE STORY By Teleeraph.—Presß Association, Auckland, October 7. A sensational crime was committed at Alfristqn, between Manurewa and Brookby, eighteen miles from Auckland, early this morning. The sequel was the arrest this afternoon of John Arnold, 42 years of age, a farm worker, on a charge of having attempted to murder his wife, Freda Arnold, who is 33 years of age. The Arnolds lived in a sevenroomed house near the centre of the settlement, with six children, four being girls of from 8 to 13 years. The house was owned by Mrs. Arnold's father, John Henry Hansch, a man of 54 years, who was temporarily residing there, hjs own house, whero his wife lives, being a mile away. Arnold was working for his father-in-law, who described him as an excellent worker. • Last night the family entertained some friends at a social evening, and everything passed off pleasantly. After the departure of tho visitors, prior to which the children had gone to bed, Hansch retired to his room a.t the back of the house, and Mr. and Mrs. Arnold t their room in the front about eleven o'clock. Between midnight and 1 a.m. Hansch and the four little girls wero aroused by hearing Mrs. Arnold screaming. Hansch rushed to the door of "his daughters bedroom and opened it, asking what was the matter. Arnold ran towards him, struck him on the head with a stick, thrust him out, and bolted the door against him. Hanscll, fearing that murder was being done, ran across the road to neighbours to obtain assistance. As he and a neighbour weiv returning they saw Arnold's house break into flames, and by the time they readied it the house was burning so fiercely as to prevent them enterting. They proceeded to the village Post Offico Ftare, and rang up the nearest police and a doctor. Meantime the eldest child, Grotchen, heard her mother calling to her, and ran to her door. It was open, and the twoyoungest children, Douglas and Lewis, twins four years old, who slept in their parents' room, came running out to her. The six children went into the middle room, the father not mnking any attempt to interfere with tliom. Presently Gretehen hoard a crackling noise, and discovered that the house was on firo. She collected therestof the children, and all ossapml m their nMitclothos out of the back nW.. Ihoy thought their mother was still in the house, and probably dead. As a mattor of fact, however, Jtrs. Arnold, after a terrible experience, had escaped. .' The story she related subsequently to her mother was that after tlie party her husband picked a quarrel with her in their Jicdroom, finally attacking her and beating her over the head with a stick and n tray. • Then he bound her by the anklos and wrists to the bedpost. During the struggle she colapsed, and Arnold, thinking.her dead, said: "Now vou're dead I'll nrc tlie house" This be proceeded to do. Mrs. Arnold declared that coming to her senses she tlirce times put tiros out in. tho bedroom and the diunigroom adioining it. She had worked her hands free, awl then uncki tho binding around her aliklos. When Arnold saw that sho had revived he again attacked her. She alleges that he attacked her five times in all. 'In addition to beating her about the hood ho thrust his fingers down her tliroat, and tried to strangle her, tearing and scratching the inside of her tbmnt in the process. Ultimately he loft her for dead.

Mrs. Arnold recovered in time to realise that tho house was ablaze, and she made her escape. How she does not know. She was only in her nightgown, but she niade off across the paddocks intervening between her. own homo and her mother's. Sho avoided tho prowr track, fearing her husband would follow her. As a result _ sho had to cross some swampy land in a gully and wade through two fairly deep creeks. When sho arrived at her mother's house she was in n deplorable condition, weak from loss of blood, and wet from, head to Joot. but medical assistance, was rpoif forthcoming.

. The house was burned to the ground, nothing being saved. Arnold was seen in thn vicinity early this morning, and several police' officers, aided by settlers, instituted a search. This afternoon one of the search parties found Arnold just coming out Ifrom a clump of bushes twenty chains from the site of his former home. He was clnd in trousers and singlet, and had a handkerchief bound around his waist. He made no resistance, and wrs arrested. Arnold seemed djied. and asked what he had done. He is understood to have stated that he tried to drown hims«lf in a creek after the crime, but failed, owiiiß to bping unable to tie his own hands together. Mrs. Arnold's condition is reported to be low this evening.