LINDFIELD TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 166, 9 April 1921, Page 7

LINDFIELD TRAGEDY

TRIAL OF MRS. MORT DECLARED TO BE OF UNSOUND MIND By Telegraph—Presa AB«octetion-Oopyright (Rec. April 9, 0.50 a.m.) Sydney, April 8. At the' Mort trial tho Crown Prosecutor said Mrs. Mort’s letters and actions •howed that she was strangely neurotic and passionate. She allowed friendship to develop into passionate love Possibly Dr. Tozer's distinctions at the war and as a cricketer were part of the charms exercising tbits influence over her. Then when informed that Dr. Tozer intended to marry, she came to the decision that if she could not have him no other woman would. Doctors gave the opinion that at the time of the tragedy and subsequently the accused was emotionally insane. Under examination at the hospital she made remarkable rambling statements, amongst others she expressed, elation, at the crime

Further evidence of accused’s alleged insanity was submitted, A moving picture producer who gave Mrs. Mort a part in a picture, said that the first time Mn». Mort came to act she was not rational. She spoke of two men who followed her and wanted to kill her, and added that they were 1 sitting on a seat in the room, though the seat was empty. She also spoke of committing; suicide. The jury returned a verdict of “'guilty, whilst of unsound mind." The Chief Justice directed this to be Changed to "not guilty on the ground of insanity.” This was done, and "the Chief Justice ordered Mrs, Mort’s removal to a penitentiary until tho Governor’s pleasure was known —Press Assn.