SUPREME COURT.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 August 1925, Page 1

SUPREME COURT.

•>— HY TKI.ECIt.U’H —PRESS ASSN., COL’YRIGIIT. AUCKLAND, August 3. At the Supreme Court, Bobert Dix- ,,,[ Warden, was charged with escaping from custody at Waikuna Prison and receiving soldi property. lL'e v.as sentenced to eighteen mouths imprisonment. The .lodge said that Warden lias been declared a habitual criminal no less than live times and according to the law lie may he detained for the rest of his life at the discretion of the Prisons' Board. Elizabeth Wilson, for horse stealing, received six months reformative detention. The Court is now hearing a case against Albert lad ward Best, charged with attempted murder <d his sister, Gertrude, on April loth, also with assault with intent to do actual bodily ba nil, BEST KOfN'l) Cfll,TV. OX Aid. CHARGES. AUCKLAND. Aug. 3. Called io give evidence in the charge of attempted murder against her brother, Certrude Best, the victim of the, assault, said that she could not recollect the circumstances. Bhe was so upset when she gave evidence in the Police Court. that she could no! remember what she said. She did pot think she lmd said anything inline. She remembered ilie accused lushing ai her, and that she was cut oil the lace, hut she could not say how she got the cuts. AUCKLAND, Aug. 3. rn the Best case of attempted murder, the Judge granted the Crown Prosecutor permission to treat Florence Best as a hostile witness. She said she could not remember certain incidents, nor what she had said in the Police Court. Alter her brother rushed ai her in Queen St. she iell lie) throat being cut. She denied having improper relations with her brother, iler evidence alleging misconduct was given in the Police Court, because she was angry with her brother. Kloreiue Best, sister of the accused, further stated her brother came into a loom occupied l>y her sister Gertrude and herself at two o’clock in the morning. Accused said to Denude: “Will 1 cut your throat?” (Icrlrmle replied: “Never on your liie!" Ernest Alfred Schulz said that the accused had only objected to him gojn.f with Gertrude when the accused W :u under the influence of liquor. Witness could not remember the (in tims, alli es when the accused called him an nltensive name. His Honour: “You keep nn saying von cannot remember. You are in a di tie relit posilion to the girls. “It is hard to remember.” Ilis Honour: ‘‘Hard In remember.-' Xoii-son.se Hr .Mugray gave evidence ol extensive injuries sustained by Miss Rest. The principal wound just missed the main artery. If it had been cut u would have meant instant death. When be saw the accused, he seemed to he recovering Irom the clients of drink. His Honour said the ease was a verv serious one. although not \ei\ difficult. The accused might he very thankful that lie was not charged with anything more serious. Did the at-cir-ed intend to stop short of killing his sister when lie chased her along the street with a razor? Whatever the aecn.-ed thought about Sdiolz did not justify him tit tacking her with a razor. . Viter a short retirement the tury returned with a verdict of “guilty on all charges. Sentence will be given to-morrow.