OLD MAN MUST STAND TRIAL FOR MURDER
Hearing Of Evidence At Napier Hospital NAPIER, last niglit. Making no reply when asked to plead to a charge of murder, AVilfred Lawrence Ward Markham, aged 6'9,/of Hastings, was committed for trial by the magistrate. Accused is a patient in the Napier Hospital, and the hearing todk place in the nurses' lecture room. The charge relates to the death of accused's wife, Elsie Lillian Mark'ham, at her home in Hastings, on January 6 last. Evidence that he attended Mrs. Markham on January 3, when he considered that she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, was given hy Dr. A. D. White. Witness said he never had occasion to exaniine accused regarding his mental condjtion, but at the end of July, 1946, Mrs. Markham told witness that accused
had adopted a threatenjng attitude towards her, although he had later returned to normal. Dr. D. J. Doyle, pathologist, said that 'death *^/as caused by strangulation. Markham had walked into the police station at 4.30 p.m. on January 5 and said he had killed his wife in cold blood, stated Detective A. Reid. Accused had said: "I blasphemed against the Holy Ghost. I had to do it." Accused later added: "God commanded that I should do it." ' - , Evidence of dissensions which Jie said had taken place over religious matters between the Markliams was given by Keith Elliott, theological student, of Christchurch, a •son-in-law of accused. He was staying with the Markliams at the time of the tragedy. He said that dissensions had lecl up to scenes between them, including the one on the date deceased inet her death.
Witness said accused was undergoing extremely tense religious strain at the time, but he and his wife were very devoted. ■A medical report hy Dr. Hart, of Porirua. Mental Hospital, was handed to the magistrate by .the police. Counsel for accused, Mr. W. E. Bate, submitted that from the report, it appeared ^fchat accused was unfit to plead. The magistrate,- however, direeted that accused be* formally asked to plead, but he did not reply. j0 -==—=============
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Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5327, 13 February 1947, Page 5
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349OLD MAN MUST STAND TRIAL FOR MURDER Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5327, 13 February 1947, Page 5
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