The Matricide Case

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 203, 25 February 1914, Page 5

The Matricide Case

INQUEST ON MRS. THOMSON. ALLEGATIONS OF BRUTALITY. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. Thr adjourned inquest into tile circumstances surrounding the death of the lute Hannah Thomson, the victim! of the Durham Street tragedy, was continued, this afternoon before the coroner (Mr. 11. Bishop). Alexander Thomson, son of the deceased, appeared in custody. Senior-sergeant Mathison gave evidence of going to the house in Durham Street on Friday evening last. Thomson made the following statement to him: —''I am a laborer. My mother's name is Hannah Thomson. I had an argument over some boot laces with a man named Baxter, a laborer, who lived with my mother. Baxter has been living with my motjier and sleeping in the same room, The argument started over boot laces. Baxter started diatating to me about boots, and I askod him what he had to do with me. I came downstairs, and asked him what he meant, and lie started 'going crook on me.' Baxter made a strike at me, and I started to defend myself and made a Bmack at him, I hit a chair in place of hitting him. He then tried to wrestle with me, and I made a smack at him. My mother stood in my road and received the blow. Baxter and my mother went out in the, yard and washhousc. My mother fell down when I struck her. Blood-

stains on the floor came from my mother when she was being carried in. Her age, is ifty years." William Baxter, a laborer, described the quarrel. He said Thomson'* mother said something to her son, who began swearing and gave her a hit on the side of the face and kaosked'her down. Wit-

ness was not within several feet of Thomson at the time, so the blow could not have been meant for him. He was three or four yards away at the tiree. Mrs Thomson got up, and her son still continued his had language and hit his mother again, and knocked her down onee more by the fireplace, she falling on the fender and breaking a piece off the end. Her face was bleeding when witness brought her out of the bathroom into the yard. Thomson said: "Yon keep out of the road, mother; that's the I want!" His mother tried to pacify him, and said they was nothing to quarrel about, but Thomson said: "Startup, or I'll give you another clout!" He did hit her again, with Ms open hand, and knocked her down a»ain in the yard. Mrs Thomson fell on the ground, and witness picked her up. He did not think she was seriously hurt, and went inside to get the teapot to make tea. Mrs Thomson could stand bv herself at that time. Witness heard Thomsen swearing at his mothor, and came out again. He saw Thomson make another blow at his mother, which knocked her down on a wooden case that was standing near by. Witness noticed furious bleeding coming from underneath Mrs Thomson's clothimr. He took her into the bathroom and offered to wash her, but Mrs Thomson said, *T don't think so." He showed Thomson the blood running down his mother's leg, and'said: "I think you have : ist about done for your poor mother now." Thomson took no heed of what witness said and never answered. Mrs Thomson died soon after. The coroner returned a verdict that ttie deceased died from hemorrhage caused by the rupture of a varicose vein, due to falling against a sharp substance, the said fall being caused bv a blow from her son, Alexander Thomson. Accused was remandad until Saturday next. At the conclusion of the hearing of the inquest, Miss Wright, accused's young lady, fainted awav and had to be attended to by the ofl'inials of the Court.