SEADOWN TRAGEDY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11124, 6 February 1930, Page 6

SEADOWN TRAGEDY

THE DEATH OF M'HS OLDFJKiLD HUSBAND ON TRIAL VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY ON GROUND OF INSANITY COMMITTED TO MENTAL HOSPITAL lUrees AfiSooiatioii.J T'LMARU, Feb. 5. In the Supremo. Court to-day Jack Oldfield, ''against whom a, truo bill was returned by the Grand Jury yesterday, was arraigned on a charge that In; did at Seadown, on January 3,‘Ji murder Ins wife. Oilristine Oldfield (neo Sutherland) by striking her or. the head with an axo. Mr Justice' Adams was on Ibe bench.-.Mr-W. J>.. Campbell.- Crown Prosecutor, conducted the. pro-edit-ion, whilst Air F. J. Rolloston appeared for the defence. Accused pleaded not guilty to the indictment. The proceedings aroused much interest and tlio court was crowded. The 'most remarkable feature of the case was tho absence of any motive 'Accused is a member of a highlyrespected Seadown- family and his farm comprises some of tlio host land in S. Canterbury. It was stated in evidence by one witness that accused was short of ready money, hut otherwise his financial position should not have given him any cause for Worry. Beforo her marriage deceased was a masseuse and practised her profession in Tim ary and Christchurch. * Air Campliell said that tho case was a distressing one. hut the facts were simple. 'Hie jury would have no difficulty in arriving at their decision. Dr. .Scanned repeated tho ovidenee given in ttio Lower Court, saying that he arrived at the scene at 7.30 o’clock on the morning of the tragedy when lie saw the body of deceased in bed with a. gaping wound in the skull, apparently inflicted by an instrument such as the axe produced. Eld red Charles Oldfield, brother of accused, related in detail, the evidence given in the Magistrate’s Court, saying that his brother came witness’s farm about G. 30 a.in., asking feir the loan of some cartridges, as he wanted to shoot rabbits. Accused obtained the cartridges from tho house and then made to: leave for home. Before he had gone far accused called out, “Good-bye Eldied.”

STRUGGLE FOR GUN

Witness saw accused with the gun, evidently endeavouring to reach the trigger with the intention ol t,hootingnimself. AYitness closed with aceusocT and obtained possession el too gun, and- then obtained assistance and .laid accused secured. Accused said: “You might as well let me finish it as 1 have killed Chrissy” Tho gun was loaded, hut did not go off leeau.se accused dal not know how to operate the safety catch. AYitness gave an account of his visit to accused’s house and the finding of Mrs Oldfield. When witness reached the house Mrs Oldfield was still breathing. Witness informed the police of the occurrence. .Accused had served in the Great War, where ho had suffered certain injuries. Accused was tho recipient of a war iiension.

AYORRIED OVER AiONEY TROUBLES

Witness lived about half a mile fioin accused’s residence. After returning from the front accused continued to work on his father’s farm, but about four years ago lie acquired two properties of his own. Accused was married on December 19 in 'Christchurch, and ho returned to Seudown. oil December 28. Prior to his marriage witness saw accused frequently,; us . they were co-manag-ors of the Oldfield estate, and after his marriage ho saw him daily. So fur as witness was aware accused was happily married. Accused was an industrious man. but was always talking about money troubles. He seemed afraid that lie could not make the farm pay now that ho was married; Witness had offered to lend money tci accused. Accused had obtained £BOO from the estate on the Saturday night before the tragedy. Witness and accused had discussed the lattor’s financial position, and ho was solvent. «T YE KIDDED CHIUSSY” Arthur Duncan, a faho.ijer employed .by Kldred Oldfield, stated that he had seen accused between 7 and 7.30 a.m. on January 10, when lio was struggling with his brother. Witness assisted Kldred Oldfield to overcome accused. “Accused said: “I‘ve killed my wife” and then added : “I’ve killed Chrissy”. Witness asked accused if lie and his wife, had quarrelled, but the reply was in the negative. In answer to questions, witness agreed that accused was a very hard worker, and he was probably overtaxing his strength. Accused appeared more distressed after marriage, and was glum and irritable. Accused told witness that married life was all right, but it meant additional worry. FOlt THE DEFENCE Opening the ease for the defence, Mr Ilolleston read a letter written by deceased to her sister on January 9, in which she said in part v

. “Wo are, slowly getting the rooms straight and they look very nice, I think. I get very, very tired and John gets yen' worried if bo sees me looking ill. so I al- • ways, pull a. long face when I see him coming. However, I. suppose 'I will soon get used to it. I’m nf- : raid. Annie, tilings are far from satisfactory on the farm here. It has come as an awful shock, and no wonder Jack has been worried . about, money. Tim fact of the mat- . tor is that , the farm is. gradually dropping nionev every year and is ■ not- Paving. I feel I must tell you. Annie, so don’t breathe a wor>l to 'mother as it all goes to Aunt Harriet. but von can tell Nettie all' l D’ly if you like. Jack is nearly off bis head with worry. and what with trying to pucifv him and keep n bfnve, face niy«elf T can tell you ’ fifi’s bntvf. I really have be"u too , dispirited to write- before. I don’t know* whn.t we will do as I can’t see how he can make p success of this "place at alb It looks as if he - will lose every penny here.” MEDICAD EVIDENCE pi-. in ■ -.evidence, said jn re. idy. to Mr Itolleston that- mclancliobi had ’nsardty. as one of its aoeompaniiflontsw . .'From t-im oyc-nts. fr.iir.wir.i-

the tragedy lie was of opinion that tho accused was actually suicidal, and thought that was the accused's condition before 'lie tragedy. There was evidence of clouding of consciousness after the tragedy. AYhen the constable charged him. with murder ho only shook his head, hut at 8.30 . when his confused mind was passing off, his first remark was: “Why did I do it:'” The fact that accused did not thlink of the safety catch on the gun was further evidence of his muddled state of mind at the time. , To Mr Campbell: Ho had been regarding Oldfield froiri the medical point of view, and all his observations arid conclusions were based on every point of view possible. 'Hie cause of tho tragedy would he indefinite mental eonditicyi immediately before killing his wife. Accused would ho insane also at tho time he struck the blow.

' When asked by Mr. Campbell to fill in the prescribed form certifying insanity, witness said he was not working on actual facts, hut on the facts as communicated to him. Ac. cused’s general morbid outlook gave general morbid outlook gave visible signs of impending insanity. At the present tune witness thought he would certify accused was fit for a mental hospital. , Dr. B. E. A. Ulrich, Timaru, said accused first come under his charge in the Tjmaru military hospital some years ago, when he was suffering from certain paralysis caused by a gunshot wound. He was a nervous man and a had sleeper, ills depression would ho worse in tho early morning, and that was a, symptom. His depression and agitation were most marked when witness saw him first, and in witness’ opinion uccused had already made up his mind n week before the tragedy to take his life. Jn his opinion, accused, was suffering from simple melancholia. No doubt accused Ijiouglit over the shame arid the mis. cry for his wife if he commit ted suicide. On the morning of the act. he evidently suddenly decided to take his wife with him, and the tragedy was the result.

MELANCHOLIA WAS THE CAUSE OF 'THE ACT.

In answer to a question drafted by His Honor, witness said lie was of opinion that melancholia was the cause of the act. In answer to other questions, witness snjid he considered that accused was driven on by the dread of calamity. His action was accentuated by impulse. Air Ilolleston : The murder of his wife would be part and parcel of his own suicidal impulse that was based on accused’s symptoms of melancholia.

CROWN’S MEDICAL TESTfAfONY

Air Campbell then presented the Crown’s medical ovidecc. ])r. A. C. AfdKillop. superintendent of the Sunnyside ATental Hos pital. stated that he examined ae•oised, who described the tragedv to him. The symptoms were difficult on which to base any particular form of ins,'initv. hut there was no doubt ;he was under acute depression. Accused would know wluit he was doing at r.ho time, and know it was wron-. Witness did not think it was a sudde impnLse that caused the act. Or. T. W. J. Charles, superintendent of the SeaclifTe Aleutal Hospital, said that from an examination of accused he 'fathered that accused was mentally depressed. Referring to the. tragedy, accused had stated that he considered ;doing liyM' with Hun*, self. This state of mind had been •rrowing on him for some time, and definitely took sliane about seven days before the crime. In witness's opinion acncsed had planned whar lie intended to do. He would know killing a person was wrong, hut no doul.lt he felt justified in the state of misery ho was in. The act,, would not tie impulsive, hut accused no doubt toyed with the idea and had gone over it lots of times. Counsel and judge delivered comparatively short addresses. The Jury retired at 5.-7 and returned twenty minutes later with a verdict of not guilty on the grounds of insanity. ' Accused was committed to the bunny side Aleutal Hospital till the_ pleasure of the Minister of Justice is known. , , , The judge stated ho thoroughly agreed with tlio verdict.