HENDERSON TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 56, 30 November 1920, Page 3

HENDERSON TRAGEDY

YOUNG MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER OF HIS MOTHER SPEARPOINT COMMITTED FOR TRIAL fly TcleEruDh-Preaa ABBOciation, ■ Auckland, November 29. The young man, Frederick Spearpoint, aged 215, wlio was arrested on .November 3 on a charge of having a—aulltd ' lls mother at tneir home in Henderson, and was subsequently charged with murder on tho death of the woman, was brouglit before ALr, •)'. \V. i'uyiicoll, 15.JU, this morning for trial. , Accused \vae defended by .Mr. I rendergait, and Chict'-Dtlcctive M'Mahon condueled the proscoution., _ ! Medical evidence was given as to tho cause of the death of deceased. j limes Spvarpomt, labourer, employed at Ashley's tannery, Now Lynn, said he resided at Henderson. Deceased was witness's wife, and accused his svepsou. Accused and his mother were on good terms so' tar as witness knew, and. the} got 011 well together. • Joseph Allied Thorn, blacksmith, Henderson, stated that accused came to witness's blacksmith shop about 10 a.m. on 'November 3. Accused came into tho shop in a very excited state, and said: "Send loi; the police. I have murdered my mother." ' Witness "replied: "Surely you t done that?" and accused said: 'If, I havo, It's true. Sho is lying dead on ti.e Hoor now." Accused was taken by ■witness to tho Post. Office,' and on the way in reply to a question why ho had done .it acvuseil >aid: "Don't ask any questions, you'll hear soon enough." Witnass had the pohcc rung up, and he detained ax.i;usc<l at his sliop. lioioi-o Hie police arrived at tho shop witness told accused his mother was not dead, niul accused bui-st out, crying, and said lie didn't mean to do it. Roderick 13. Shaw, apprentice at Thorn's blacksmith shop, corroborated tho Bvidenoe of the previous witness. • Arthur F. Massey, postmaster at Henderson, stated that oil account of what Jlr. Thorn told him he proceeded to Spcnrpomt's house, getting there ai 10.40 n.m.; he found JlrsS. Spearpoint lying on the floor in a bedroom, with her arms outstretched and one knee bent, j\s he approached her sho acted as if she were trying to ward off nil expected blow. Then she said either "Mho's that? or "Who's there?" nnd added: "Go' away."' He and tho Key. Jlitche-11. and the Ecy- Battray and' David Byers, who had accompanied himi got her on to a couch in the living room. The small axe (produced) was lying nenr where. Hie woman's head was on the lloor, and a broom was leaning against the bed. home firewood was scattered about the floor, and liis opinion was that the bedrooirt had the apepnrance of having been the sci;ne of a struggle. ■ The Rev. Win. H. Rattray corroborated the evidence of the previous Witney as tn how Jfrs. Spfarnoint was found. ' He had known Mr. and Jlre. Spearpoint for some time. They «ere a devoted couple, and got on usually well together. ' . , . After nonstable Douglas bad given evidence of how he found thinffs when he arriytd W tliel house, geant Hammond stated that wlicn lie told accused on November 9 of death that day, accused broke down. When told he would now be charged Willi murder, he 'replied that he thought lie had -.lready been charged witji nniriler. Constable D. ll'Glone stated that- when he arrested accused he asked him wheie • f n u,ft r Tv-n<; HP nevPi had a fa ther. ' I was broiiffht -i^to if .sho could do miythintr for h M n, liin"<l pll e renlied she wished she liim when he was a baby. Sue was always throwing that up at me, said "Tccused was committed' to the Supreme Court for trial. .. : "