RARARAMA TRAGEDY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 99, 2 December 1915, Page 4

RARARAMA TRAGEDY

TRIAL OF MRS PERRY.

VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY. At the trial of Amelia Perry on a charge of murdering her husband, John Perry, at Rararama on September 25th, when the case for the prosecution had closed, Mr Prendergast. appearing for the accused woman, addressed the jury. He proceeded to quote a leading legal authority for tho purpose of establishing that it was not sufficient that accused’s guilt was the only likely explanation of that particular crime. Such a suspicion on tho part of the jury was not sufficient to justify a conviction. Counsel then quoted further authorities upon the question of circumstantial evidence and its interpretation. Various circumstances, he continued, were not to he emphasised or disregarded merely in so far as tfiey bore upon a certain theory of the crime, hut they must he considered in regard to all possible theories. Referring to the Crown’s attempts to establish a motive, ,he mentioned the fact that the accused had been married at fifteen years of age and had nine children. It did not appear, however, that the relations between husband and wife became less satisfactorily through the whole per* iod of their married life. With regard ■to McDowell, it was not to he inferred that his advent caused discord between them, for though Perry proposed to cut his wife and one child out of his will, he was easily persuaded not to carry out this intention and, further, he remained friendly with McDowell up to the last. It was Emitted that in the tyeek of the tear gedy deceased and his wife had a quarrel over some money, but they were plainly on good terms on the Friday when deceased went to Auckland, and also when he returned, for the, family luul supper together quite amicably.:. Turning to the question of the gun, counsel submitted that the fact the accused borrowed it was not to be held against; her; '.further, it had heeu .stur ted that when the gun was used on (the Thursday the.-last two cartridges shad been used. Perry kept all his cartridges! ih l >-a ilncked j'oom.; •' ah cl the Crown ought, therefore; to have established that accused > sprocured; a /.cartridge .somei time before the nturdeif and secreted it. • » •r-t"'" 1 “NOT GUILTY.” • >,< :< li I Vitf MUPD { After the judge’s summing up the jury retired for thirty-one minutes, and returned with a verdict of not piilty. Accused was therefore discharged.