A MIDNIGHT SENSATION

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 245, 26 January 1917, Page 1

A MIDNIGHT SENSATION

Old Lady's House Entered

The Intruder Stabbed

At the Pukekohe Police Court yesterday evidence was taken before Messrs J. T. Stembridge and A. B. Barter, J.P.'s, in the charge laid against a farm labourer of Puni, named James Eidling, aged 30, for having on the night of the 12th inst. burglariously entered the residence at Pukekohe West of Mrs Elizabeth Leech, a widow, 78 years of age, who lived alone. S Q rgeant Cowan prosecuted and the accused was defended by Mr C. J. Tunks. THE DAME'S STORY Elizabeth Leech, who although very frail and sobbing at intervals gave her evidence fluently and even volubly, deposed : I am 78 years of age. I reaaember the night of Jan. 12th. Before retiring to rest I locked my bedroom door. Somewhere about half past eleven I heard several knocks at the front door. Shortly after I heard some knocks at my kitchen door I heard the kitchen window being smashed in and I commenced to pray as I thought a murderer was entering. AT BAY WITIJ A K>*ll'E I heard no more until shortly afterwards I noticed my bedroom door partly open and I saw someone sitting on the floor. I saw a man slide along the floor towards my bed and I then jumped out of bed and picked up the pocket knife (produced) from a table alongside. I could see the man's eyes shining the dark. He caught hold of me and tried to force me on to the floor and 1 said to him

"FOE GOD'S SAKE SPAEE ME I have no money. You can take all I have in the kitchen." The man slackened his grip of my arms a bit and I managed to stick the knifp into the back of his right hand. He then went out of the door and I ran after him. I let him out of the front door and he ran along the verandah and jumped over it holding his hand. I called out " murder " several times. Shortly afterwards Mr Eogers and Mr McNally came. On the following day I saw my kitchen window broken. The window was always kept locked and I noticed when examining it the catch had been undone.—Mrs Leech (shuddering) added, "The man made eyes at me like a Maori and gurgled some words. Even now I think every night that I see him at my bedside." Cross-examined, the witness said : At the time the accused came to the house I was living alone. I put the light out before 1 went to bed. The accused used the knocker on the front door six times, and made a big noise. I did not get up to see who was at the door. I thought it was someone wanting a drink. I am quite sure I locked my bedroom door. I heard nothing more until I saw a man sitting on the floor of my room. I never heard the door open. The man did not hammer on my bodroom door. He crept along on the floor quietly. He kept down on the floor and he did not pull me off my feet. After I wounded him he ran into the kitchen and I followed him with the knife in my fist. I called him all sorts of names and told him to go out by the front door. After I had opened the door he got out quick and still never said a word. He took nothing out of the house. I never heard of the man before.

MRS LEECH'S READY WIT

Mr Tunks (to witness): Is this the knife (produced) you did the harm with ?

Witness: I think I did good with

it. Mr Tunks: Has the knife a good edge ? Witness (pointing to accused): Ask him. "HAD HIS EYE ON HER."

During the course of her crossexamination, Mrs Leech created no little amusement by remarking that the man's breath smelt of apples rather than of drink, but if it had smelt of tobacco it might have cheered her heart as although she never smoked she liked the smell of tobacco. Another ripple of laughter went round the Court when the old lady explained, "The rascal must have had his oye on me, as I hoar he had boen enquiring about me. If I had been a young hussy I would not have been surprised."

iUE WOUND TREATED

Pr Bronte gave evidence as to the accused going to his house on Saturday January 13th and asking him to attend to a wound on one of his wrists. He found an incised, wound on the back of one of his wrists. It was a clean cut. The wound was right through the ekin, but did not sever any tendon. The accused said it was caused by barbed wire, but in his (witness') opinion it was caused by a sharp instrument. He put one stitch in the wound and advised him to go to the hospital for the next dressing in a fow days. OTHER EVIDENCE. Francis Martin Itogors, a farmer residing at Puni stated that on the night of the 12th inst. ho left Pukekohe shortly after II p.m. and was driving with his wife past Mrs Leech's place botween 11.30 p.m and midnight when he heard someone calling out. As his horse was restless he went on to Mr McNally's and returned with him back to Mrs Leech's. They found Mrs Leech sitting on her verandah.

She was in her night attire and very excited. They saw nobodj else about.

William McNally, another farmer, corroborated. John Joseph Eyan, a carter in the employ of the N.Z Dairy Association, said that he met the accused in the street at Pukekohe on the 12th inst between 8 and 8.30 p.m., and they went into the hotel together and had two drinks, each paying for their own. They then went outside and he left the accused and did not see him again that night. When he met Eidling he (Ridling) was quite sober, and when he left him he was quite sober. Cross-examined: He had known the accused for six years in this district. He bore a good character and he was very much surprised when he heard of the charge againt him Eobert Byron Carpenter a farmer residing at Puni, stated that on the morning of the 13th inst the accused, who was in his employ, came to him about 430 o'clock. He (witness) was jufct getting up. Accused asked, him to tie up his hand and he saw that he had a cut on the back of his wrist. The accused explained thair the wound had been caused as he was coming across country and that he received it when getting over a barbed wire fence either through falling on a bottle or gottiDgthrough the barb wire. Accused had been working for him at intervals for the last eight years. Accused was not under the influence of liquor at the time he came to him but he was upset and rather excited. accused's good character.

Cross-examined: He had always found the accused honest and a good worker. His behaviour towards women and children could not have been better. He was always respectful. He was good natured and good tempered. He was a simpleminded kind of man. Accused enlisted and went into the camp at Trentham, but he was discharged as medically unfit. He had known the accused to be the worse for liquor, and it would not take much liquor to upset him. Constable Thornell deposed that on the 18th inst he proceeded to Auckland and interviewed the accused as to his entering Mrs Leech's house. At first he denied all knowledge of it. He arrested him and accused then voluntarily gave him a statement in writing after being warned.

" HID IT FOR I'L'N."

The statement of accused as* pr%. duced was to the effect that on his way home on the night of the 12th inst. he thought he' would take a short cut across by Mrs Leech's house. He added, " I knocked at the back door Nobody came out. I then pushed in the back window with my hand. I got inside. I opened the door of Mrs Leech's bedroom and went in. I had not been long in the room when Mrs Leech stabbed me on the back of my right hand. I went into Mrs Leech's just for a bit of fun.'' COMMITTED I'OR IRIAL. The Justices having intimated their intention to commit the accused for trial at the Supreme Court, Mr Tunks intimated that accused would reserve his defence. Mr Tunks then applied for bail to be allowed. Sergeant Cowan opposed on the ground that the accused, if free, might frighten Mrs Leech and such in her feeble state of health might have serious consequences, in which case they (the police) would not be able to produce her in the Supreme Court. The Justices thereupon refusod bail and accused was committed in custody for appearance at the next sitting of the Supreme Court.