FORGERY DENIED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 251, 14 June 1932, Page 5

FORGERY DENIED

(Press Assn.'-

johnson case HUSBAND DESCRIBES WIFE AS VERY NEUROTIC ' 5 WOMAN STORY OF ACCIDENT

—By "Telegraph'— -Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, Monday. The Wellington Supreme Couft yesterday r esumed the heairih^ of the - claim of Mrs Elizabeth May uohnSon -of Ohau, -who is proceeding; against two insurance companies to recover under accident insurance policies. Mrs Johnson alleged that her husband endea'vourcd to precipitate an accident in whfch ' she wduld he Itijufed and claiinied that he deliberately held her leg under a! train, in order that he might .collect the accident insurance. In opening the case- for the defence, counsel for Mrs Johnson's husband, said it was a matter of great satisf action to Mr. Johnson to know that he would have an opportunity to meet 'the charges made against him. The husband, John Ralston Johnson, in evidence, said he was a builder and married plaintiff in 1914. At the time he had given his wife various properties," about five ' altogether. His wife was of a jealous' nature. Since the accident several years ago, in which she fractured her skull, she had heen difficult to handle and was very neurotic. The allegations by his wife that she heard him making strange noises in the house was an. ahsolute fahrication. He also refuted his wife's allegations that he had heen keeping company with another woman. Jumped Out of Car Referring to the night of the accident, witness said that when approaehing the Ohau railway erossing at a speed of ahout 30 miles an hour, he saw reflections of" light on both rails. At the same instant, Mrs Johnson called out "Train John." He applied the brakes and at the same time the wheel was wrenched out of his hand, presumably by Mrs Johnson, who had a habit of doing that. The car swung round and toiiched the cattle stops. He threw the car into reverse and the car failed to move. He said, "Jump for it Ive." Witness jumped out and fell into the cattle stops, on turning round he saw his wife getting out. Witness put up his hand and at that instant the car hit the train, which had almost slowed down. When next he saw his wife, she was lying across the cattle stops. The driver of the train Jamieson, was also there and with his assistance witness removed Mrs Johnson from the stop, placed her in the car, and pulled round in front of the engine. Witness said he did not hear his wifie ask why he did not let her out or suggest anything to that ettect. He had Visited his wife three times a week in Levin, and she inade no suggestion to him that he had tried to mu'rder her. Forgery Denied Money was needed to pay accounts in respect to his wife's properties and as a result of discussions they had, his wife said that some insxirance money would be coming in and he could fix up the accounts. Witness;j notified the T. and G. and the Commercial Union of the accident and received claim forms from the Com-

mercial Union, and his reeollection was that he filled them in and signed them on behalf of Mrs. Johnson. The receipt foi- £260 10s was signed by Mrs. Johnson at Levin. He denied that the signature was a forgery. Witness obtained the money at Mrs. Johnson^ suggestion and paid it into his own bdhking account and drew upon the money for payment of interest on the properties, e.tc. The T. and G. form was signed by Mrs. Johnson and posted from Levin. The signature on the two insurance claims and the receipts Was Mrs. Johnson's, signed with witness present. The policy discharge was also signed by Mrs. -Johnson. ; By this time the T. and G. had j paid out £500, under the policy. ; None of the payments was concealed j from Mrs. Johnson. Replying to His Honour witness said that the moneys were paid out on Mrs. Johnson's properties and alterations ■ were made to the properties. "An Ahsolute Lie" Witness said that their married life was never happy. Hie denied threatenlng his wife with a spade some little time before the accident. It was a fahrication to suggest it. Witness added that his wife did not jump ovter the front seat, neither did she faint In the hack of the car. There was "tio time to faint. Witness was then cross-examined at some length on the filling in and signing of the receipts. Counsel: I suggest that the same person who filled in the word "Wellington" on that receipt, also wrote the word "Johnson."— Witness: It'is a lie,' an ahsolute lie. , ' " * Kathleen Davis, matron of the Boweri Street Hospital "at the time 1 Mrs Johnson - was operatea on there, j gave evidence -as to seeing Mrs Johni son sign a document in" the presence \ of her husband and another man. She j "was half raised in hed for the purpose. i The matron did npt know the' nature of the document. L ; The hearing 'will he resumed to\morrow.