MRS. HART ACQUITTED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 2997, 11 February 1926, Page 3

MRS. HART ACQUITTED.

ON GROUNDS OF INSANITY.

Dunedin, February 10.

The trial of Ellen Hart for the murder of her three children was continued this morning. Dr. K. Ross, a specialist, stated that in his interviews with accused she showed no emotion when asked what .prompted her to do such an act. She became petulant and said she did not know. She acted like a stubborn child. Witness read a letter she wrote at Seacliff, which was such as one would expect from a small child. Witness concluded by saying that accused was well under I lie average in intelligence, and did not seem to realise lion, everything pointing to a mealier position, everything pointing to a mental disease of some kind or degree. Mr. Callan, addressing the Court on behalf of accused, urged that all the evidence compelled the conclusion that the woman was insane at the time of the commission of the act.

Mr. Justice Sim, in summing up, said that accused’s statement to a neighbour, “I’ve killed my kids and I suppose I’ll hang for this,” seemed to indicate that she knew the consequences of her act. Her statement to another neighbour, when she asked what they would do with her, also seemed to suggest that she knew what she had done. THE VERDICT.

The jury, after an absence of only twelve minutes, returned a verdict of not guilty on the ground of insanity.

The Judge ordered accused to be detained in a mental hospital until the pleasure of the Minister of Justice is known.