URUWHENUA MURDER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 January 1939, Page 6

URUWHENUA MURDER

KERR COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) NELSON. January 24. The evidence of a number of witnesses was heard in the case in which Arthur Frederick Kerr is charged with murdering his wife and son. Edward Coventry Bydder, medical practitioner, deposed that when he saw Kerr at his house accused did not recognise him for quite a time. He found accused very maniacal, violent and delusional. He was confused and disorientated. He recognised the doctor for a few seconds. He also recognised his son Max for a short period but appeared to recognise no one else. Witness examined Kerr again on the evening of December 16 and found him not so violent but mentally as bad as he had been, in the morning.

To Mr W. V. Rout witness said accused’s apparent belief that the boy was alive and unharmed was consistent with his mental condition wnen witness examined him. ,

Frank Hayhurst, detective-sergeant in Nelson, stated that when accused was-brought to Nelson he was examined by the jail surgeon and shortly after by Dr Williams, who advised his removal to the public hospital. He remained there till December 23. when he was committed to a mental hospital. Mr C. R. Fell said that in fairness to accused, as the evidence would be published and would probably go before the jurors, he wanted to point out that it was not in the province of the court to go into the mental condition of accused.

Kerr was committed for trial on both charges at the next sitting of the Supreme Court in Nelson.