THE ELTHAM TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1925, Page 1

THE ELTHAM TRAGEDY

TRIAL OF FATHER. RT TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT ELTHAM, December S. The deferred murder charge against Archibald Gray, late Health Inspector at Elthnrn, that on November 2G, 1920, he did murder his son, AVilliam Gray, was continued at Elthnrn. An inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of William Gray was conducted concurrently. Air C. R. AValker, S.AI.. presided over the murder change. Air J. AV. Stubbs, J. 8., Coroner, assisted bv a jurv. conducted the inquest. The public portion of the Court was crowded when Gray entered the box. George Henry Carter, an employee at tli Egmolit Box Factory, said lie knew the accused. On November 26th last, witness, about 3.40 a.m. in ctfhsequenco of something lie heard from his wife, went to his hack door, which faces Gray’s property. When he got to the door, he heard someone calling out and screaming. The sounds wore coming from the washhouse in Gray s propcity. When he heard the screams he jumped the fence between Gray’s property and his own and saw Afrs Gray and hei daughter coming out of the washhouse. He saw Gray bending or kneeling in the washhouse over the body of Willie Gray, who was lying flat on his back on tho washhouse floor. The boy’s throat was cut and there was blood all over the floor. He secured Gray hy the coat collar and pulled him out of the washhouse. ‘‘l asked Gray,” said witness, “if bo knew what lie was doing, and he said * No.’ ”

Carter said tlmt when lie got Gray out of the washhouse, he asked him if he know that he had taken his son’s life, and why he did it. Gray said “No.” Gray had a razor in his right hand. Witness relieved the accused of the razor, and threw it over his own fence. He identified the razor produced as the one in question. When he arrived on the scene, the first he heard was .Mrs Gray screaming “You have killed Willie.” As far as witness could judge, Gray made no attempt on the life of his wife or daughter. Cross-examined, witness said Cray was on affectionate terms with the members of his family. Witness added : “ 1 have never heard him have a wrong word with his son AAillio. Tn fact 1 should say he was very fond of the hoy and of his family. They were his first consideration. The second witness was Douglas Hutchison Saunders, Medical Practitioner, who said that on arrival at Gray's house he found the body of flic hoy Willie Gray in the washhouse in a pool of blood. Cross-examined, witness was asked: Did accused say anything to Constable Townsend in your presence? Witness replied: “Acs. lie said he meant to kill Ihe lot. and then himself.” The cause of death would he heart failure following haemorrhage. Counsel : From a conversation with Cray, would you ascribe any motive for the occurrence ?—No. Do you consider that, in this case, the provisions which the law has made for the observations of persons in the position of the accused should be invoked?—l do. Constable Townsend detailed the finding of the body on the floor quite dead, with the throat cut. Tic went into the kitchen of Gray's house and found Gray there. He said to the accused: “ Do you know what you have done?” Accused whispered: “ Yes.” Grav further said: 11 I have been nervy olid not sleeping, and 1 intended to kill lhem all and (hen myself.” When Gray was at the Police Station lie said : " ll is an awful thing. T don't know why I did it.” The accused had made a statement of confession on the above lines, which was produced in Court. Counsel intimated that the prisoner would enter a plea of “ not guilty, and would reserve his defence. He was commitlod to the Supreme ( onrt a( New Plymouth for trial. Alter a retirement of eleven minutes. the jury returned, finding that Willie Gray met his death through heart failure, following haemorrhage. as the result of a. wound in the neck caused by Archibald Gray. r |'he inrv added a rider that ( arier w; ,s to be highly commended for the 1 1 rave manner in which ho took the razor from Gray. Al.r Spence urged that the only medical witness called had recommended that advantage should he taken of section 117 of the Afental Defectives Act. and Gray should he committed to a menial institution for examination and observation. He lodged a formal application and 11 is Worship undertook to bring the matter before the Minister of Justice.