THROAT SLASHED WITH TABLE KNIFE

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 189, 7 May 1940, Page 9

THROAT SLASHED WITH TABLE KNIFE

Pensioner Attacked In Bed

MAN CONVICTED AND SENT TO JAIL A midnight fracas which ended in an elderly man being taken to hospital with his throat cut was described in the Magistrates’ ’ Court, Wellington, yesterday, when Andrew Carney, labourer, aged 38, appeared before Mr. Stout, S.M., charged with assaulting William Raymond Heenan, pensioner, aged 70, and with using obscene language. Carney was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment with hard labour for assault and to one mouth’s imprisonment with hard labour for using obscene language, the sentences to be cumulative. Detective-Sergeant W. McLennan prosecuted and Mr. C. H. Arndt appeared for Carney. William Raymond Heenan said he lived at 17 Tui Street. On April 29 he was alone in the house and was awakened at 11.30 p.m. by someone banging on the door and demanding that he open it. He refused, and it was burst open. Carney and two Maoris entered. The electric light was not burning, and after they had lit matches, Carney went out to the scullery. He returned with a candle and a table knife and said: “You’re the l’m after. I’ll settle you. .. . I'll cut your — throat.” He slashed witness’s throat then went to the scullery and got a bottle of methylated spirits, three-quarters full. This he poured over the bed on witness's stomach, then set fire to the bedclothes. The two Maoris put the fire out with a rug and water, one saying to Carney: “That’s enough. Turn it up now.” Seven Stitches in Tliroat. The Maoris then left and immediately afterward the police, who had been sent for by a neighbour, arrived. Accused was still there. Witness said'fiie knew Carney by sight, but had never spoken to him before. When he was taken to hospital seven stitches were put in his throat. Cross-examined by Mr. Arndt, he said he could not account for the behaviour of Carney, who had appeared to be quite sober. He knew no reason why Carney should attack him. The two Maoris, who were complete strangers to him, did not interfere till Carney set fire to the methylated spirits. Elizabeth Silk, widow, 15 Tui Street, said her house was next to Mr Heenan’s. She was wakened at about 11.45 p.m. on April 29 by the sound of voices, and heard a man demanding that Mr. Heenan open his door. Realizing that something was amiss, she went for the police. Threat to Fire House. Sergeant R. Audley said that he went to Tui Street with Constable R. E. Drummond, and entered the section next to Mr. Heenan’s house. They could see a man moving about in the house striking matches, and heard him say: “Give me a candle and I’ll set fire to the — house.” They went round to enter the house and saw another man outside. Carney was standing in the doorway, and when they approached he said: “All right, constable, I know I’m pinched.” Heenan was lying in bed in the kitchen, which was in disorder. He had a wound in the throat and blood was trickling from it. When they asked him what had happened he said|that three men had broken in anjl the man who had used the obscene language had assaulted him. Carney said he knew nothing about it. They made a search and found a bloodstained knife. This he produced. ■ Cross-examined by Mr. Arndt, Sergeant Audley said he did not know who the man they had seen outside the house was. Corroborative evidence was given by Constable Drummond. Acuscd’s Evidence. Giving evidence; Carney said he met the two Maoris in Tui Street, and one had asked him if he would like a drink. When he said he would, they took him to Heenan’s house, where they said they had been that morning. He w'as some distance behind them when they reached the house, and ■did not see how the door was opened When they got in an argument began, possibly about something that had occurred in the morning, and the next thing he knew was that Heenan’s bedclothes were on fire. He put the fire out, lit a candle and saw that blood was coming from Heenan’s throat. The Maoris had made off. The police then arrived and arrested him. Cross-examined by DetectiveSergeant McLennan, Carney said be had used obscene language because Heenan accused him of attacking him. He admitted that he had been before the Court previously.

„ Mr. Arndt said that there seemed to be no reason why Carney should attack Heenan. He drew attention to the fact that two other men who bad been in the bouse were not before the Court.

The magistrate said he was satisfied that Carney was the man who had used the language and committed the assault. No reason had been given why the Maoris should attack Heenan.