MURDER OF WIFE ALLEGED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 22, 19 October 1937, Page 9

MURDER OF WIFE ALLEGED

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Prosecution Hinges on Question of Sanity

(By Telegrapb

DUNEDIN, Last Night. ! The trial of Arthur Richardson on * charge of murdering his wife, Jessie Richardson, at Otokia about Juiy 17 commenced in the Supreme Court today before Mr Justice Kennedy. Mr J. B. Adams, Crown Prostcutor, conducted the case for the Crown, and accused, who pleaded not guilty, was represented by Mr O. G. Stevens. Mr Adams, in his opening address, said that the facts of the case as they related to the killing of Mrs Richardson were not likely to be in dispute. The real point would probably be the question of the inental condition of accused at the time the killing took place. Evidence was given on the same lines as in the lower Court. Dennis Tipping Stewart, house surgeon at the Dunedin Hospital, said that during the two months accused was treated for gunshot wounds in the chest he gave no sign of insanity. Witness, however, would not dispute medical opinion that accused was suffering from enfeeblement of tho mind due to alcoholism. Thomas William Lobb, son-in-law of accused, described the events leading up to the alleged crime. Prior to this accused 's behaviour was not such as to make witness think he should have been returned to a mental home. Edward Richardson and William Arthur Richardson, sons of accused, dfcscribed incidents in past years which about two years ago led to their father being placed in a mental home, where he Temained for nine months before being released on probation. For some time after his discharge he did not drink much, but began to drink heavily| again some months before the tragedy. Before his committal to the institutioif he had several times threatened mem-, bers of his family. Early this year hei began to take queer turns, developingi a vacant look. He did not seem men-' tally sound by any means. The Court adjourned until to-morrow.