THE DROMORE TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1925, Page 2

THE DROMORE TRAGEDY

HODGSON INSANE. [iJY telkcbabh —rat PRESS association.] CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 10. The trial took place this afternoon, before Air Justice Adams, of Robert lys m Hodgson, wlm was charged with having murdered his sou, 1* redorick I lodes in. at Dromore, on the night ol January Ist. Air A. T. Donnelly appeared for the Crown and prisoner was represented by Air W. J. Hunter, ’lhe evidence for the Crown was the same as that given in the Lower Court.. AH- Hunter, said that the prisoner bad an unfortunate family history. His father was admitted to Sunnyside m 1885, and died there in 1908. There were other cases of mental disability in the family, hut little reference- would be made to them for the sake of the relatives. Mrs AlcKillop and Gray (alienists) giving evidence for the defence, sain they had come to the conclusion, that at the time of the murder, the prisoner was suffering Irom an attack ol acute excitement, which was practically epileptic in character, and lie was incapable of understanding the nature and quality of the act of killing his son. and, knowing that such act was wrong. llis Honour said that the Crown Prosecutor frankly admitted that the evidence of medical experts lor the ueI'enre would lie accepted by tbc Crown, lie suggested that, provided the jur\ found that the prisoner was insane at the time that the crime was committed, their verdict should be couched in the following terms: “\\ e Imd the accused nut guilty. We further find that the accused was insane at the time ol the commission of the oflem-e. and declare him acquitted on the grounds ol insanity.” “The effect of .such a verdict,” said llis Honour, “would he that the accused would he detained because o, his insanity, and because he murdered llis soil.” Without leaving the box, the jury returned a verdict in the terms suggested by His Honour. llis Honour stated that the accused, would he ordered to he kept in Paparua Prison until the pleasure ol the Afinistcr of Justice was known.