ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2211, 4 December 1920, Page 2

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER.

pectllvp niursTniriPTf GASP. Christchurch, Poe. 2. The hearing of the case against , Frederick Alalaquiu, charged with attempting to murder his wife, was resumed to-day. Mrs Meredith, a neighbour, gave evidence that accused came to her place the morning after the shooting. She then learned of the shooting, and accompanied accused to his house, and saw Airs .Malaquin Nothing was said us to how the shooting happened. The Malaquins were on the best of terms, and lived happily together.

Detective Quartermain said that lie saw Malaquin at the hospital, and accused saidlie knew nothing ahout the matter; that Mrs Alalaquiu must have shot herself in her sleep. She had walked' in her sleep since girlhood. On the way to Brighton accused said he had no reason for thinking that his wife would commit suicide. He repeatedly asked accused if he had shot his wife accidentally, and accused always denied ibis. Lajer, at the police station, Malaquin made a statement. In Ibis statement accused advanced (he theory that his wife had shot herself in her sleep. In a, second statement he said that he got the revolver, believing there was a burglar on the premises, but he found no one, and returned to bed. In putting the revolver under his pillow it accidentally exploded, the bullet striking his wife, but'he did not immediately go for a doctor, as Ids wife clung In him and begged not to he left alone. Continuing his evidence, Detective Quartermaiii deluded further conversations with accused, including reference to alleged relations with other woineu.

Mr (Jresson, who appfljlted for aeeused, subjected. witneSPnto a very lengthy cross-examination, and took strong exception to what he regarded its (he ‘'third degree' examination hy the poliee. The Magistrate said that Mr Justice Edwards had laid it down that whore a person was suspected of (•rime, Iml the poliee recognised that he might he aide to give a satisfactory explanation of the circumstances which appeared to (ell against him, and they had not made up their

minds to arrest him, it was proper

(o give that person an opportunity of making an explanation.

Two female witnesses gave evidence llm-t accused had' posed to them as being a single man. .Mr Gresson (for accused) said that if the .Magistrate thought there was a case to answer he would reserve his defence, hut he indicated his readiness to call Malaquiu. Mr McCarthy, S.M.,' said-accused admitted that the revolver was iu his hand when it exploded, and Inhad given inconsistent explanations as to how the injury to his wife occurred. He hud also admitted immoral relations with other women. Supposing Mrs Malaquiu had died as the result of the shot, (lull would have involved a-charge of murder, for (he presumption would have been murder, if Mulaquiu admitted that the revolver exploded in his hand, it was thrown on him to set up a, defence. That being so, lie did not feel inclined to dismiss (lie. ease. lie remembered a case in which Mr -iuslice Deuiiisloii had held that whore one person was found to be in possession of another's property us if il were his o\ij he should he called on to make an explanation in court. Without coiumenling on the Mrenglli of the evidence, he would say (hat Malaquiu should he .called t;n to make this explanation.

Mr Gresson thereupon reserved his defence, and accused was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court.

Accused was admitted lo bail in his own bond .of .€21)0 and two sureties of £IOO each.