EARLIER PROCEEDINGS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 July 1942, Page 3

EARLIER PROCEEDINGS

EVIDENCE OF CONFESSION PRESENTED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, July, 16. Evidence that Private Leonski had admitted the murder of three women was presented to the United States court-martial today. Witnesses said that Leonski had said he had choked Miss Hosking because she had a fascinating and lovely voice, and that he wanted that voice. He choked Mrs Thonfpson because she was singing to him and he wanted to keep on hearing her sing. It was alleged that Leonski said he had met Mrs McLeod in a doorway in Albert Park, and that he had placed his arm around her neck and then choked her. A private of the. United States Army said Leonski had asked him whether he had heard of a werewolf. Leonski said he was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde. He had two personalities. The judge advocate read a medical report which said that Leonski was not insane and never had been. The court adjourned till tomorrow.

Evidence that Leonski was “a pretty good soldier when he first joined the United States Army, but became an increasingly poor one as he increasingly resorted to the use of liquor” was given when the case for the defence was opened. Witnesses told how Leonski drank concoctions composed of whisky beer, ketchup, ice cream, and hot peppers. and various other combinations. How he could absorb a lot of beer, and that he never seemed to know what happened when he was drunk. A leading Australian psychiatrist, who examined Leonski at the request of the defence, said that, presuming Leonskij.did the crimes with which he was charged under the influence of alcohol, he was likely to commit a similar crime in similar conditions. He agreed with the American Army medical board that Leonski was not and never had been insane. An American captain said that Leonski was perpetually in trouble, though not of a serious nature. He was inordinately proud of his strength. He appeared unable to resist liquor, and on one occasion Leonski said, “Keep me in the guardhouse as long as pos- 1 sible. That is the only way I can keep out of trouble.”