ATTEMPTED WIFE MURDER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1915, 14 December 1918, Page 3

ATTEMPTED WIFE MURDER.

Auckland, Dee. 13,

In the Supreme Court to-day John Avondale Arnold was charged with having attempted to murder his wife, Elenor Freda Arnold, at Alfriston, on the night of October fith, also with having assaulted her with intent to cause bodily harm and with causing actual bodily harm. The third count set out that actual bodily harm was caused in such circumstances that if death had ensued prisoner would have been guilty of manslaughter. The Hon. J. A. Tole, K.C., staled that after a social evening at home, Arnold remarked that he objected to private conversations between his wife and her father, who lived in the house, and on whose farm Arnold was employed. A quarrel ensued, the wife saying that she would leave him next day. With the words, “This will be the end,” the man sprang at his wife, caught her by (he throat, and choked her into unconsciousness. On recovering, the wife staggered into a bedroom, and the mail, following her, again assailed her. She again lost consciousness, but regained it, and opening a window, screamed “Murder.” The man pulled her back, pushed her into the sitting-room, and struck her on (he head with £omothing. The next remembered was finding herself lying near the cot with her hands hound while her husband stood at the door with a lighted candle and kerosene tin in his hands. Their (wins, four years odd, wore in (ho cot, and the man attempted to set fire to the bedclothes, his wife, who had released herself, endeavouring to frustrate him. The house was burned to the ground. Mrs Arnold denied (hat she conversed with her father in German, or that her husband objected to his presence.

John Henry Hauiscli, prisoner’.--, father-in-law, emphatically denied (hat the prisoner ever qnareiJed with him on the ground that witness’ sympathies were anti-British. He declared that his sympathies v(*re British, and that lie had no relatives interned.

Counsel for accused said that unquestionably accused had committed an aggravated assault, hut: he had no recollection whatever of. I lie occurrence. The assault was evidently committed in a state of f.enze, and Arnold had no deliberal;' intention of murdering his wife. The jury found accused guilty on (lie second count of assault with intent. Sentence was deferred until Mon da v.