ELTHAM TRAGEDY.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1926, Page 1

ELTHAM TRAGEDY.

GRAY FOUND INSANE. NEW PLYMOUTH, February lain the Supreme Court to-day, before Mr Justice Reed, the trial took place of Archibald Gray, of Elthani, inspector of the Public Health Department, (or the murder of his son, William {intv. aged sixteen years, at Elf hum on I November 2d, 1!.'2-"i. The Crown Prosecutor said accuse.l belonged to a religions sect known as the Plymouth Brethren, and he thought from Iris nature lie was attracted by the more gloomy .side of that sect’s beliefs rather than with its brighter side. From papers in the possession of the Crown il was evident there was a gloomy side to that religion. At the time of the offence accused was under ■ notice liv his department to transfer' I to Dannevirke. and in consequence soldi I his Louse. On the morning of the j crime, a neighbour of the accused. Mr I Carter, was attracted by cries from j Gray’s place, and on going into the | | washhouse found Gray standing over j j the body of the hoy, who was lying on j , the Hour of the building with his throat ! cut. Ti-ore were also wounds on hit* head, and Gray had a razor In 'his j ' l and. His wife was also there, and J there were marks ori her throat. Tim police were sent for. and Constable j Townsend took Gray to the lock-up, j n acre he made a statement which wu-. t written down and signed by him, in I which he admitted having been restless j and nervous and sleepless of late. Tb‘ ] -.add it had been his intention to kill , j bis family and take his own life. In! ; view of this counsel said the only pos- ; :-:ible defence could lie that of insanity, t Constable Townsend said when bo 1 | saw Gray he ashed him if he knew j what he luid done, and accused answer-j ed " Yes ” in a quiet tone, lie said he j had boon nervy and sleepless lately, j He had intended to kill the whole I’am-j iiy ami then lake his own life. At til ■ j police station Gray sat down and said. I ■ li's an awful thing I’ve done. 5 ! don't know why I did it.” This admis-j stun was reduced to writing and Gray signed it. The defence was that accused was sulfeiiiig from a form of insanity and therefore, was not rosposible for his act. The evidence of set Oral mental experts ttas called to support the plea of j insanity. j Dr Blair. Acting-Superintendent of the Porirua Mental Hospital, said that while Gray was under observation since the crime accused had told him periodically he had IBs of depression and sleeplessness, ill which the idea of suicide came into his mind. Previously lie had been able to withstand the suggestion, but this time the Impulse to commit suicide came upon him overwhelmingly, hut. he felt he could not do that anti leave his family, and so lie must kill them first. His mind seemed to tell him it was the right thing to do. He could not say whether his at count of what took place was what he actually remembered or what he had been told. At other

times lie -aid the whole thing seemed to he a dream and he thought at one time lie might wake up lo lind the thing had never happened, lie used to weep lor the loss of his son. hut. he said lie had no feeling of guilt. From what witness had heard, and from his own observations, lie was convinced that Gray was suffering from acute melancholia, and was not responsible for his action at the time. The jury acquitted accused on the ground of insanity. Accused is to lie detained in a mental hospital.