THE ASHBURTON TRAGEDY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2235, 1 August 1891, Page 3

THE ASHBURTON TRAGEDY.

At the Ashburton Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, before Mr C. A. Wray, R.M., Albert Edward Moss was brought up charged with having, on July 7th, with a tomahawk, attacked and wounded Mary Emma Moss with intent, feloniously and wilfully and of his malice aforethought, to kill and murder the said Mary Emma Moss, contrary to the Statute. A crowd gathered outside, and as soon as the doors were opened the back part of the Court was packed, amongst those occupying the space set apart for the general public being a number of females.

Inspector Pender conducted the prosecution, and Mr Wilding appeared for accused.

Mary Emma Moss was called. She deposed that she knew the accused in England, and that she was engaged to him there. Accused came out to New Zealand, and it was understood that witness was to follow after. Accused communicated with witness after he arrived in New Zealand. Witness left England in March of this year, and. arrived in Lyttelton on May 7th. Accused was not able to meet her, and witness went to Mr WiddowsOn s in Christchurch. Accused went down to see her on the 9th of May, and arrangements were made for the to take place. Witness had no occasion to think accused was other than pleased to see her, or that he was not satisfied that the marriage should take place. They were married on the Bth of June last at Mr Widdowson’s house, and they ' returned to Ashburton the same day. Her husband j had a house prepared for her in Burnett street. All went well up to 2nd of July,' and they lived happily. Her husband had some financial troubles about this time, and this seemed to affect him. The bailiff entered the house on the Thursday, but left on the Friday. Her husband got up about a quarter to seven o’clock on Friday. Nothing particular occurred on the Friday. Her husband went to his office as usual on the Friday, but appeared restless during the night. Her husband rose at 7,30 a.m. on the Saturday and brought witness a cup of cocoa. About a quarter past eight witness drank the cocoa. • Mr Wilding here raised the point of this evidence not being admisable, but asked the Court to take a note of his objection. Witness continued her evidence. She noticed that the dregs were gritty. After she had taken the cocoa she felt ill* and vomited three-quarters or half-an-hour afterwards. She also felt pains in the stomach, and became weak, and very cold, and felt cold all the day. The vomiting continued all day. He husband went away to his work. Did not say anything to her husband about feeling cold. Mrs Lane, a neighbour, came in to see her, and put a hot water bottle to her feet. Did not say anything to her husband about the dregs in the cocoa. Her husband seemed very troubled during the day about money matters. Witness remained in bed all the Saturday. On the Sunday her husband was still worried, and was moping over the matter. Her husband went work on the Monday morning, and witness, feeling better, got up, On Sunday she spoke to him about the cocoa and said she felt as though she had been poisoned. He said “ Oh, no.’, Nothing particular occurred on the Monday, but he was much worried during the night. Her husband got up at 7,30. a.m. on the Tuesday and went to light the fire. He came into the bedroom shortly afterwards and was handling a razor which he had out of the sheath. Witness was in bed. Her husband told her hot to get up for a quarter of an hour. He was walking about with the razor opened and rubbed it up and down her cheek in a joking sort of way and after rubbing the razor up and down her cheek he left the room. His manner was very changable At. times it was very strange, and then hej would be quite sensible. His face became very white, and he appeared at times to be very excited. After accused went out of the room witness got up and dressed. Accused came back and walked about with the open razor in his hand, and said to her, “Shall I shave you?” He put his arm round her shoulder, and the razor was in his right hand. Witness said to him, “Don’t be silly,” when he left the bedroom, and witness continued dressing. . Accused came back into the bedroom again, and shaved himself. He then finished dressing. This was about 8.30 or 8.40 a.m. Both then went into the kitchen and had breakfast. Accused then went out by the front door. He was very white. He soon returned, and came in by the front door. He asked her if she had any money, and witness handed him her purse, which contained a small sum. Accused then went out again, but returned in a few minutes. Witness went out on to the verandah to meet him, and they went into the house together. She asked him what he had in his pocket. He did not reply, but appeared excited and pale, and ran out of the house laughing. He ran round the house to the back door and entered the kitchen, and called her to him. He said he would break up some coal. He took up a tomahawk. (Produced,), He stooped down and broke the coal with t)je back of the tomahawk. Witness was ) standing close to him. Accused put

his thumb on the edge of the tomahawk after breaking the coal. He then caught the axe with both hands and struck her on the top of the head with force. He struck her three blows, in succession on the head. Each blow inflicted a wound. Witness did not fall, but caught at accused’s k hand and struggled with him. Accused then dropped the axe. This occurred in the kitchen. Accused then took the razor and tried to cut her throat. He caught hold of her I with his left hand, and in the struggle she was cut ,on the neck and cheek with the razor. Witness raised her hands to ward off the blows, and caught the razor, when her fingers were cut. After the struggle she ran out of the kitchen, and on looking back saw her' husband cutting his throat, and lying on the floor. Witness ran out screaming, and on going round the house a stranger came to her assistance. She was afterwards taken to the hospital, and was still a patient there. The razor produced was the one used, and the shawl produced was the one she had round her shoulders. Some time prior to the occurrence—jabout a week before—her husband bought some “ Rough on Rats,” saying that he wanted to poison some rats. He had not, so far as she knew, used any of it. Witness did not, know when her husband had any use for prussic acid or for a revolver. J. M. Cambridge proved that the accused had bougnt “Rough on Rats” in his shop, and, several other witnesses having given evidence, accused was committed for trial.