TRIAL FOR MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1927, Page 1

TRIAL FOR MURDER

[by TEI.W3JRAFH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] GISBORNE, March 0. A surprise was sprung during the Oputiki murder trial, when the first witness for the defence, Arthur O'Keefe, identified the accused, who is charged under the name of John Sullivan, as his brother Joseph O’Keefe. Accused is the youngest of a family of seven Prior to her death his mother was slightly troubled mentally. Accused was never intelligent and was poorly educated. As a youth accused had been struck on the head by a brother, and as a result had been in. the New Plymouth hospital for several weeks. Another brother was in the Avondale asylum. ACCUSED’S HEREDITARY MANIA. GISBORNE, March 8. In opening the case for the defence in tbe Opotiki murder case, counsel said that evidence would he called to show that the accused man had always been subject to recurring fits of mania, lie bad suffered hereditary unsoundness of mind since bis boyhood, and this bad marked him for some such final tragedy as that which now confronted him. The combination of this hereditary taint and an excessive indulgence in liquor had caused him to become unbalanced, and unable to appreciate wlint ho was doing. Howard. Stockdalo Hipkin, station band, said he knew tbe accused, Sullivan. well. He then was engaged on the Hoatn Station/ The two gave witness the impression that they were recovering from a drinking bout. Sullivan was always fidgety and highly strung. His talk was rambling and irrational. The two were always the best of friends.

Julies Claude McGregor. Manager or Hoatn- Station, gave evidence on somewhat similar lines, and added that lie had held grave doubts as to prisoner’s mentality. llis methods of work wore irregular, and so was his talk. He would run where another man would walk, even on steep bush country. Dr Bowie, of Gisborne, said bo examined tbe accused in gaol, and form, ed a poor opinion of bis mental condition. Accused was a highly erotic’ type, and was uneducated. .In reply to questions, witness said he thought that at the time of the tragedy, accused not know v hat he "was doing. He would have no power of judgment or control. A man of bis mental calibre, once heatily under the influence of liquor, would be a raving maniac for tbe time being. Dr R. M. Beattie, late Superintendent of Avondale Mental Hospital stated that Charles O’Keefe, who was a brother of Sullivan, had been an inmate of the institution, suffering from chronic mania, and at the slightest provocation, became dangerous. His case was a hereditary one. his mother being a mental case for some years before she died. Witness had examined Sullivan in Jit. Eden gaol, and in witness’s opinion Sullivan was fighting drunk at the time of the tragedy. Sullivan told witness he drank heavily after the others left the locality, and he had no recollection cf the events until consciousness began to awaken him. Witness had come to the eonclusion that when Sullivan attacked Williamson. he did not know the act was wrong. He could not have been Insane at the time, as his recovery would not have been so rapid. It was due to the mania of alcoholism, which is closely allied to the '‘p.T. s - The Crown called, in rebuttal, Dr C Tensley, medical officer at Mount Eden Gaol. Witness said he had examined Sullivan on many occasions

and found his conduct that of an average man. Sullivan was a highly excitable and unstable individual, but under ordinary conditions normal, though of a low grade intellectually.

In cross-examination witness said it was possible there was a hereditary taint in Sullivan, and, considering these circumstances, if. Sullivan consumed a large quantity of alcohol, it would practically make him a very dangerous man. He thought that for a short time the man had no control over Himself. Counsel will address the jury in the morning.