THE MOUAT CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1925, Page 3

THE MOUAT CASE

OPENS AT SUPREME ( oT'RT. f-jy TFXKfjßAni—t'Eu i’t:ess ANSori.vn.-,;.] ('ll R.[ST( 11 PliCI I. May 12. Frederick Peter Al.iuat in the Supreme Court this im ruing was charged wit a having miinlere.l his wile. Ellen Isillisc -Mount at St. .MartinV. on or a bent Fe! man “Itli. 1, -I. bung before the doers of the Court ■■pencil, a irowd of men mxl women gathered outside in the rain. No sooner were the doors tin-own open hy the police than most <;f iho.se waiting

fair number of the crowd lingered outside craning their neck* to get a view of Mount ns lie "as t 'ken from the prisoner"..; van 1> a cal. 11l the Court, boxes, blankets, a ) illow. several bottles. and lias of bones and oilier exhibits. were phi'rd on the Ilnur of the Court in front of the jury box. while a plan of Mount's house v.i,- -how n oil the table.

Pile Crown Prosecutor said that the w hole ol ibe evidence was addressed

to prove two simple facts, via: (I) That Mrs Mouat was dead and CM That Mount bad murdered bar. There was no direct evidence, but the Crown would prove her death at Mount'.-' hands hy what was relied eireiinislanlial evidence, hy the facts that punted all one way ami mad., credible only one cxplunnt ion. A TRUE HI EE. CHRISTCHURCH. May l:.b The jury ret urm d a t rue hill and Mount pleaded not guilty. Twrniy Crow n and six by the defein-". -lodge Adams is on til,, h-neli. In his nddres- the Crown Prosecutor said il was a. sen-a t ioua I ea-e and the full reports published raised the possibility of injury t > the fairness ol a trial of eases of i’ii- nature, which had become so mark. 1 '! that Parliaineui might have to consider whether. in |.he interests of fair trial-, il should Milt define standard of fair and proper repp-ting. However. I ■ ilidn t suggest that the Christ,cliurrli newspapers had overstepped the mark.