A SERIOUS CHARGE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 June 1928, Page 1

A SERIOUS CHARGE

AN AXE USED. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association, DENIM)! X. June li. Klsic* Clara Tinbicli was commit toil for trial when, after several remands she appeared before MI H. W. Bundle S.M., at the City Police Court, on tiie charge of having on May 18th. assaulted Charles Wilfred Waldron so as to cause him bodily harm. Chief Detective Cameron appeared for the prosecution and Mr C. J. L. White for the accused. Wilfred Charles Waldron, a married man living apart from his wife, sa lie was a motor mechanic, and for about three years he had been living with the accused as man and wife at 1(32 King street. There had been several slight quarrels between them since they had been living together. On May Ifllli. they lqid a quarrel, as a result of which lie struck the accused on the face and blackened her eye. Ha was sober at the time. On the evening -of May 171.!i. lie went out in li is car. leaving tlm accused at his rooms, and returned again on the morning of May 18th. about 3 o’clock. He was'quite sober when he arrived, and he began to undress. The accused lie thought, was then lying on the bed. half-dressed, reading. Although they had been friendly when he left home, she began passing remarks about where lie had been, hut he slid not answer and got into hod and went to sleep. The next tiling witness knew was that lie was awake and that the bed was smothered in blood, and on putting his hand to his head lie found it had been cut across tiie ear. The accused was not there at tiie time, so he crawled to the door and called to his brother-in-law, a Mr Pomeroy, who came to his assistance. II is next recollect ion was of lining taken to the Hospital in his father’s car. The' tomahawk (produced) was similar to one which witness used to have and which was usually kept in an adjoining room. He had no recollection of being struck, and considered that he must have been struck whilst he was asleep. Witness kept the house going, and the accused paid for her cAi n clothes. She did not. so far as lie knew, go to work. To Mr White: lie could not account therefore for the Tact that when she was r,examined after th" assault, she was found to have several scratches on the. hack of the neck and a number of bruises on tiie arms and body. Furl her cross-examined by Mr White, witness denied that on his return to 11io rooms on the morning of the assault., he had abused the accused and taunted her with going out with other men. Neither was there any argument about money matters. ire had not been drinking heavily, hut in view of his subsequent injury it was possible that lie Was somewhat hazy over what happened on the morning in question. Witness also denied that lie had attempted to take the accused’s purse away from her or that he, assuited her on that morning. Moreover he had never made any threat to ‘do for her,’ or said that the oniv way she would leave the place would he in a

To Chief Defective Cameron, "Witness stated that on the evening prior to the assault he had driven to St-. Kiida and was quite able to drive his ■nr liouie. oil his return.

Phillip Louis Pomeroy, residing at 102 King Street, said that the accused and Waldron, wild was his brother-in-law, had been living in a building attached to liis home, lie saw the ac-eused at the rooms at about 7 o’clock on the evening before the occurrence and noticed that she had a black eye. Ho was awakened early next morning by .somebody calling out. He went to Waldron’s rooms, where lie found Waldron .sitting" oil the edge of the bed. He bad a cut above bis ear. and the bedclothes were covered with blood. He was in a dazed condition', and wit* ness cbnhl not, tell whether he was drunk or not. Witness went for AVahlren’.s father, who lived in another part of the building. Shortly afterwards the accused on me in' jvitli some constables.

Cecil Joseph Rnekley, residing at 929 Cumberland street, said that as be was going to work about half-past -T on the morning of May 18th. lie saw the accused speaking to a man in a doorway. She then niino up to witness, niul told him that she had just murdered a man, adding: “I’m not sorry, cither.” She then said the man was upstairs bleeding like a stuck pig,, and asked witness to go upstairs to sec, if be were still alive.“That’s a lie, young follow,” Inter-, jeeted the accused. Witness then told the court that lie had gone to the North Dunedin Police Station with the accused, who, on the way told him that she had hit Wilfred WnldreiTon the head with an axe, also stating that he had come home that -morning at a quarter past throe and demanded money from her. She further stated that Waldron had toM her that lm had had a breakdown with his c-ar, but she was of the op'irron that lie had been out with another woman. Later, at the Police Station, witness beard the accused again admit that she lmd struck ‘Waldron with an axe. 11l company with the police and the accused, witness wont back tr Wnldren’s rooms, where she made the remark that- she wished she had finish ed him. She did not, at the time, appear to be hysterical.

Constable Matliinson said that flic accused came to the North Dunedin Station on the morning in question, and said: “I have done something C Wilfred Waldren. Arrest me or etc something with me. I hit him on ike side of the head with a tomahawk. I don’t know whether I have killed him or not.’’ The accused was sober. W hen she first arrived she was crying, hut later she became calm. Witness procured Constable Watt, and they took the accused back to Waldreirs rooms. When they arrived the accused said to Waldren, “I wish I had killed you.” She showed witness the axe with which she- assaulted Waldren.

Constable-AVatt and Smythe corroborated ihe previous witness’s evidence as to what took place after the accused arrived at- the police station. ' Detective Russell, who examined the rom shortly after the. assault had taken place, stated that there was a distinct impression in the centre of the bed and between the pillows, where, evidently. someone had been resting. The corners of both pillows were saturated with blood. On the table was a bottle of beer: and a. flask and a-lialf of whisky on a pedestal near the bed. There did not appear to he any signs of a struggle having taken place. Later, witness saw the accused in the yard of the police station, where she admitted having Struck waldren. Tile accused, who reserved her dcpleaded not guilty.