THE THOMSON CASE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16484, 25 February 1914, Page 12

THE THOMSON CASE.

FRIDAY’S TRAGEDY IN DURHAM . STREET. THE INQUEST CONCLUDED. The inquest touching the death of Mrs Hannah Thomson, who died under tragic circumstances at her home on Friday, was continued before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., yesterday at the Magistrate’s Court. Alexander Thomson was present, in custody, and Mr Cassidy appeared on his behalf. WHAT THE SERGEANT FOUND. Senior Sergeant Mathieson gave evidence that he was called to the deceased’s home by telephone, and there found Mrs Thomson’s body on a bed. From the bed lie traced a wide trail of blood, through the house into the bathroom, where there were pools of congealed blood. Attempts had been made to wash the blood away. He returned to the room whore the deceased lay. and saw Alexander Thomson and William Baxter. He addressed Thomson, and said, “What has been the cause of your mother’s death P” He made a statement. When his remarks showed that he was implicated witness warned him that what he was saying would be used ns evidence. THOMSON’S STATEMENT. Thompson then stated : ‘‘l am a labourer. My mother’s name is Hannah Thomson. I had an argument over a pair of boot laces with a man named Baxter, who is a labourer and lives with my mother. Baxter had been living with my mother and sleeping in the same room. The argument started over boot laces. Baxter started dictating to me about the boots. I asked him what he had to do with me.I came down the stairs and asked him what he meant, and he started going crook on me. o ßaxter made a strike at me. I started to defend myself, and made a smack at him. I hit a chair in place of hitting him. He them tried to wrestle with me, and I made a smack at him. My mother stood in my road and received the blow. Baxter and my mother went out into the yard, and into the washhouse. My mother fell down when I struck her. The blood stains on the floor came from my mother when she was being carried in. Her age was fifty years.” Baxter was present when the statement was, made, and he interjected three time’s, but was stopped by witness. The last time was when Thomson said. “ I made a hit at Baxter and my mother received the blow.” Baxter then said: “That is not trjue; you made a deliberate blow at her.” Witness then arrested Thomson on a charge of wilful murder. BAXTER’S EVIDENCE. William Baxter, labourer, said that lie had lived with the deceased for two years and a half. At present he was working at the Christchurch Hospital for the contractor. On Friday evening he returned to 329, Durham Street, at about 5.20, and there saw Mrs Thomson and two children aged nine years and seven years. “ When I went in to get my best boots, I found there were no laces in them, i then asked Mrs Thomson where the laces were. Mrs Thomson said that she took them out herself; gave one to the little boy and kept one for herself. Then Alexander Thomson and _ a young lady named Wright came in. They went upstairs. I surmised that Thomson heard me speaking to his mother. Then he came down in a rage and said, ‘ I’ll buy you a pair of laces if you want them. They only cost about sixpence.’ ” Chief-Detective Bishop: What condition was he in as regards sobriety P Witness: He was practically inebriated. He came into the dining-room, where his mother and the two children were. He said. “ There is too much frowling. You’re always growling. ou have no occasion to dictate to me.” I was sitting in my chair at the time and was going to have my tea. He was using very bad language, when I got out of my chair and he made a hit at me and knocked me over. I have the mark on the side of my head. I fell on the floor, and his mother said, “ Don’t make a noise about a pair of boot laces.” She was addressing Alick. I got up and said, “ What is the use of using such infernal language abofit a pair of laces?” MOTHER KNOCKED DOWN. The mother said something that I did not hear, but he started to swear at her, and gave her a flip on the side of the face that knocked her down. I was not near at the time, | and the blow could not have been meant for me. I was three or four yards away at the time. She got up, and ho continued his bad language, and knocked her down again against the fender, breaking a piece off the end of it. The two little ones were there all this time, and ho went over to the little boy and said, “ I will give you a kick,” and lifted his leg. Chief Detective: Why did he do that ? Witness: Because they were crying. Then I picked his mother up and took her round to the bathroom. I took her out the front door and round the back. I was steadying her to take her along. I washed her face in the bathroom, because her nose and mouth were bleeding where she had received the blow. Then Alick came round into the back yard. When I brought her out of the bathroom into the back yard she would insist on saying something to Alick, and said, “Don’t quarrel, my son; there is nothing to quarrel about.” Ho hit at her with his open hand alongside her face and knocked her down in the back yard. She fell on the ground, and I picked her up. I didn't think the thing was so serious, and I went inside to get the teapot to make a cup of tea. I left the teapot inside, and came out again when 1 heard him keep swearing at his mother. Then he made another blow at his mother and knocked her down on the fruit case standing outside the soulleiy door. Then I noticed that she was bleeding furiously. I took her over to the bathroom and said. “Can I wash vouP” She said, “ I don’t think so. Then I showed him the blood running down his mother’s legs. I said to him, “ I think you have just about done for your poor mother now.” He took no heed of what 1 said; never answered. Then I carried the mother into the scullery and stayed with her for a minute or two. Then I could see the case was very serious. There was no one inside but the two little ones, and I sang out for Alick to come and assist me, but got no answer. I didn’t know what to do for a minute or two, but then I got on to mv bicycle and went and informed ■ Dr Sandstein, and he was just going to an urgent case and couldn’t come. He said, “You had better go and see Dr lnglis.” He was very much the same, just putting on his overcoat to go to another case. But as he couldn’t come lie said he would ring up another doctor. Then I returned home, and found a doctor there with Mrs Thomson. She was not quite dead, but very near it. Mr Cassidy asked no questions. In reply to the* Coroner, lie said that he did 'not wish to call evidence. “That is as far as we can go,” said the Coroner. The verdict is that the deceased Hannah Thomson on February 20, at Christchurch, did die from hemorrhage caused by the rupture of a varicose vein due to falling against some sharp substance, the said fall being caused bv a blow from her son, Alexander Thomson.”