THE WAITARA TRAGEDY.
DR GOODE HEED TO BE IRRESPONSIBLE.
New Plymouth, March 20,
The trial of Dr Goode, for the murder of Mrs Kleuner, came to an abrupt termination shortly after noon to day. After what was intended to be rebutting expert evidence called by the. Crown had been given by Dr Truby King, superintendent of the SeaclilT Mental Hospital. His Honor and the Crown Prosecutor at once admitted it was of no use to go any further, as it was perfectly hopeless to ask a jury to convict accused of wilful murder. His Honor added that no one thought of doing so. Evidence was given for the defence by Sergeant Beattie, of Taihape, as to accused’s general condition three years ago, and by Jas. McLeod, journalist, respecting accused’s condition at the time of arrest.
Dr Frederick Truby King, called by the Crown Prosecutor, said that at the time accused committed this act he was mentally and legally insane and had not the knowledge which enabled him to be rational. Any knowledge accused bad at the time was only such knowledge as that in a dream state. Dr Goode was suffering not from simple alcoholic insanity, but from the rare and complicated form of insanity known as “alcoholic paranoia.” A similar form of paranoic was Lionel Terry. Dr King found cases in the text books practically identical with the present one-
In answer to a series of questions from his Honor witness said accused was absolutely irresponsible.
His Honor deemed it unnecessary to call Dr Cassell, superintendent at Porirua. Neither counsel addressed the jury, and the Judge made no summing up, but submitted the following questions to the jury :
1. Whether accused was. a lunatic at the time of committing the crime.
2. Whether if the jury acquitted accused, such acquittal was on the ground that accused was insane. The jury almost immediately replied in the affirmative to both questions. His Honor then ordered that accused to be kept in strict custody in New Plymouth goal until the Minister’s pleasure is known. His Honor had previously assured the jury that the verdict ensured detention.
The jury added a rider which the Judge endorsed that the means of arrest employed by Constables Mclvor and Price probably prevented another tragedy.
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 453, 23 March 1909, Page 3
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378THE WAITARA TRAGEDY. Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 453, 23 March 1909, Page 3
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