THE TIMARU WIFE-STABBING CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1332, 25 April 1885, Page 3

THE TIMARU WIFE-STABBING CASE.

At the Eesident Magistrate's Court, Timaru, on Thursday, Frederick Lucas was charged with having, on the Bth of April, unlawfully wosnded Catherine Lucas, bis wife. Catherine Lucas (who was so weak that she had to give her evidence sitting) said: lam the wife of accused (F. Lucas), and have been married to him about six years. On Wednesday morning, the Bth of April, I was confined of a male child. Shortly after Mrs Hickey (the midwife) left, and a Mrs Roeeliffe came and attended to me. My husband came home about noon that day under the influence of liquor. He went into the bedroom, and after seeing the baby said it was a Chinaman's child. He added that the child was by the Chinamen at Saltwater Creek, and afterwards Baid that it belonged to thoie in Woollcombe'B Gully. He went away, and came back in a few hours. He asked me where any money was, and I told him. He then took away every penny there was in the house. He again left, and returned about six or seven o'clock with a bottle of brandy. He was then but little the worse for liquor. Mr and Mrs Hunt came to the house about eight o'clock, and brought some baby linen with them. Ihey remained about half an hour. When they went out priloner accompanied them* and when coming into the house again he closed and locked the kitchen door. Mrs Roeeliffe was in the house at this time in the bedroom, and was giving the baby some brandy and water whilst I took some gruel. When prisoner came into the bedroom he started looking into all the boxes in the room and the pockets fixed on the walls, and when asked by Mrs Roeeliffe what he was looking for he said only 2£d in coppers. I made the remark to him, " You know very well you have got all the money." I then said to Mrs Roeeliffe, "He is looking for a razor." On hearing this, prisoner took out his penknife, and, without saying anything, he made a rush at me, placed his hand on the back of my neck and struck me with the knife. When he caught hold of me I hid my faca in the pillows ; afterwards I put up my hands to ?ave myself, and in catching hold of the knife two of my fingers got badly eut. Ido not remember how many times he struck me on the neck. I knelt up in bed, and in struggling with prisoner 1 fell out on the floor. He again got hold of me, having the knife in his hand all the time, and after a struggle [ got away from him. At the time he first came towards me Mrs Roeeliffe rushed out of the room and sci earned "Murder," and prisoner, bearing her, said, "Do you hear that woman screaming ? she will have all the neighbors around." I said, *' You let me go, and I will go out and shut her mouth up." He then pushed me from him, and flung the knife to one side of the bedroom. Before 1 ran out I showed bira my hands, saying, " Look what you've done," and he begged me not to go against him. 1 said, " I'll not go against you." I then went out, put my hand ever Mr Roecliffe's mouth, went to Mrs Hickey's house, and remained there. Prisoner had threatened often that he would cut my throat. He said before he went out on the morning I was laid up that he would cut my throat, and about a week before that he seriously assaulted me. Annie Hickey and Mary Roeeliffe gave evidence corroborative of the above state* raent. Dr Macintyre gare evidence as to the dangerous character of the wounds. The wound on the neck was a quarter of an inch long, and the wounds on the fingers an inch and a-half long. Sergeant Cullen also gave evidence as to the arrest, after which the accused was committed for trial, bail being refused.