WESTPORT SHOOTING

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 4, 27 August 1931, Page 3

WESTPORT SHOOTING

Press Association-

charge of murder

WIFE OF DEAD MAN IN DOCK. EVIDENCE OF THREAT. When Mrs. Lena Maud Upham appeared yesterday in the Magistrate.'s Court on a charge of murdering her husband, who was found shot dead in an empty shop at Westfield on August 7, evidence was given that she had threatened to shoot him. The squalid state of her home was desclribed and medical evidence was given to the effect that the state of her. health suggested that she was subject to delusions.

— ConvriErht.

By Telephone — "Post" Special Seiwice. WESPORT, Wednesday. Harbin Robert Young, surveyor, said that when he made a plan of the premises he noticed a. pool of blood near the mattress. Jean Eliza Watson said she kept a small shop near where the Uphams iived. On the afternoon of August 6 Mrs. Upham came into the shop and purchased sweets. She appeared to be very worried over the children being taken away from her. Accused told witness that her husband was the cause of the tronble. ,and was very eruel to her, and that he had been drinking for a long time. Accused said that if it was the last thing she ''did she would shoot him. William Shorley said he spoke to Upham on August 6. Upham was carrying something in a bag. Deceased was under the influence of liquor. ' Anie Ellen Fox said that for three weelcs before the tragedy accused had been sleeping at her house. The sepaiation from her children ne.arly drove her to distraction. Accused said her husband was very cruel. She had a bruise on one arm and cheek. Accused blapied her husband for the loss of the children saying that he would not lceep them or provide a home. ■ Witness, continuing, said that when she retuimed to her home she found accused crying and asked what was ihe matter. Accused replied "Nothng." On further inquiry she said "I do not want to tell you and bring anything on you." Witness replied "I will help you, no matter what you have done." -Accused said "You cannot help me becau'se he is dead." Witness then said: "My God, what have you done? Did you nush him in the river and drown him?" She replied, "No, I shot him." Accused was very worried and depressed because her children were taken away from her. Dr. D'ckell described his v;sit tc the premises where Upham was found dead, and said a post-mortem revealod a bullet wound through the heaxt Hath being instantaneous. Witnesr a'so described how he was asked tc go to the matemity hospital to see accused who was in a very depressed state, suffering from peurperal man:a Witness said that peo'ple suffering from this compla'nt olten have delusions accompanied by suicidal o: homicidal tendencies, and they wouio fir n against a husband or child. They could havo their lucid intervals an. then the man'a would retum. Evidence of a somewhat similar character was given by Dr. Foote, medica superintendent of the Bul'er district hospital and of the. Kawatiri maternity hospital. Constable Matches, Sargeants Surgenor and Spence and Senior-Ser-geant MeGlone all gave details connected with tho tragedy. They ar

rested accused and recovered the gun. They also gave evidence of quarrels between deceased and the accused, the forrner being sentenced to one month's imprisonment foz assault on his wife. Detective-Sargeant Holmes said that the home was in a dreadful state. j It was a ramshaclde build'ng, w;th no ! fireplace and an old gas stove and j was not fit for pigs to live in. | Matron Mclntyre, of the Kawatiri | matern'ty hospital, whose evidence for the defence was taken as she was shortly leav'ng Westport; described the condit'on of accused in the hospital, stat'ng that she was suffering from deiusions, imaginmg that she had blood poison'ng. The deceased i was told of her condition. When he arrived he was in a state of partial drunkenness. The accused was underclothed and underfed. Accused pleaded guilty and reserved her defence and was committed to the Supreme Court sittings at Westport next monih for trial.