STRUGGLE AGAINST DEATH

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 250, 12 January 1928, Page 13

STRUGGLE AGAINST DEATH

Wife’s Dramatic Story

HUSBAND IN THE DOCK

‘"IITE are here to die together,” said Lawrence Mackenzie, »f aged 41, to his wife, Honour Clark Mackenzie, as she struggled toward a window in a gas-filled bedroom in the early morning of December 30. As she fought for life, Mrs. Mackenzie’s face was wet with blood.

A T . the Police Court to-day Mac- [ kenzie was charged with attempted murder of his wife, and alternatively with having caused her actual bodily harm while intending to do her grevious bodily harm. Chief-Detective Hammond prosecuted and Mr. Allan Moody appeared for accused. Accused, who appeared to be nervous, was allowed to sit in the dock. Mrs. Mackenzie, who was still weak, was also allowed to sit down while giving evidence. She said that she married her husband in 1914 and there were five children of the marriage. For ten

years her husband was a farmer on Hauraki Plains, but last June, owing to financial failure, they had to move to Auckland. Since then Mackenzie had been out of work most of the time, and there had been frequent quarrels. About two months ago she left home with her daughters, taking them to Henderson, and leaving the three boys with her husband. Two days later Mackenzie asked her to return home, and said that if she did not there would be five dead children. She did come home, but again they did not get on well, and later she left him once more, going to Whangarei. Her husband sent her telegrams, and finally he said that he would go to the Islands. Witness offered to care for the children, and she came home to pack her furniture, intending to settle in Whangarei. On December 29, Mackenzie stayed home all day going through old letters. When witness went to bed at 8.45, she left her husband writing letters. STRUGGLE IN BEDROOM He came to bed about midnight, and a little later when she woke she noticed that a candle was burning in the room, and her husband was at the gas jet. She asked what he was doing, and he replied that the globe was cracked. The next thing she remembered was walking about the bedroom, and trying to get qut the door. She felt sick, and her face was wet with blood. She said she wanted a drink, but her husband caught her by the throat, saying: “We are here | to die together.” i She struggled from his grasp toward the window so that she could get 1 fresh air, for the room was filled with ; gas. \ She got the window open a little, f but could not get outside. When she , went back to the bed she noticed that i the tube leading to the bed was con- . nected with the gas jet. i Ivan Raymond Bennett, who had i boarded with accused, said that Mrs. 1 MacKenzie knocked at his door early 1 in the morning. She had blood on her J face and said that MacKenzie had tried to kill her. Accused had told . witness that it would have been all 3 over in a few minutes if he had left l them in the room, l (Proceeding)