MURDER CHARGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 January 1939, Page 8

MURDER CHARGE

WOMAN BEFORE COURT IN DUNEDIN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. MEDICAL & OTHER EVIDENCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, This Day. In the Police Court, Jessie Eva Dickson, aged 30, was charged with the murder of William Dickson on December 12. Dr. Harty stated that just before seven in the morning, he was called to a house in Albany Street. Accused admitted him. He saw deceased on a double bed in the front room. As witness went to the .bed, accused said: “I don’t know why I did it, but he’s been going with other women.” Witness asked what she had done it with, accused replying, with an axe. The patient was unconscious, with a bleeding head. Accused produced a tomahawk, with biood and hair on it. The deceased was removed to hospital. He was in night clothes, being apparently struck while asleep. To accused's counsel, witness stated that it was impossible to say whether deceased was asleep when the blows were given. Accused appeared to be distraught and most concerned that deceased should have a doctor.

Dr. Uttley. house surgeon at the Hospital, considered that at least three blows were struck. The cause of death was skull fracture and brain laceration.

Reta Hannah Barr, a neighbour, staled that accused asked her to mind hei child while she phoned. She said she had hit deceased with an axe. He had been carrying on with women. Accused, to her knowledge, was very devoted to her son and husband.

Detective-Sergeant Hall produced a statement made by accused, which said that her husband was a carpenter, working on the railway, at first at Temuka, and later at Waitaki. He had been carrying on with a Temuka girl, and also with a girl from Pukeuri. Because of suspicion, she had read a letter written to deceased by a girl. They started an argument in bed about this girl, he saying that they had better separate, but he was going to have the boy. On the morning after the argument, she lit a fire for breakfast. While she was at the coal box, with the axe, deceased called that he was going up to Oamaru —that the girl would be lonely if he didn’t. Accused asked what about her and the boy being lonely. She seemed to want to hit him or something. She went to the bedside and struck him. She did not want to kill or even hurt him. “I worshipped him, and thought there was no one like Bill,” she said Accused reserved her defence and was committed for trial, the magistrate reserving his verdict in the inquest till the case has been tried.