The Douglas Murder Case.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 188, 13 August 1901, Page 1

The Douglas Murder Case.

Weeungton, August 9. Douglas was charged <at ihfc Magistrate’s Court to-day with th« murder of-Mrs Pain, of Masterton, ok his own confession. Mr Beil, Ciown Pro ecutdr, conducted the case, and Mr Wi'ford defended. Mr Bell raid that the first statement made by p isomrlo the Lyttelton gaoled t was in 3aly, 1899 Douglas then eaik

that lie had a quarrel with Mrs Pain bv ha was asked to work in wot weather. He said that she tried to put him out of the house, but foiled. Wheh he was fi-diing in a creek «o»r the bousfe ho" came along, and in crossing the creek sh a fell face downwards. He on e went to her aid, but coUhl not puil her out. Half an hour later he went Inins and told the ►ervant girl that Mrs Pain had been drowned in the creek. The girl took no notice, hut went oh wi h her work. also went about hft work, leaving the wrm n in the creek all night. Re- husband returned in the morning, and Dough" then told him o r f the death Her husband refused to gh with Douglas when the latter offered tb show him where Mrs Pain fell in. The body was found on Monday. Mr Bell said that this portion of the evidence was obviously nonsense. Prisoner had made a second statement to the gaoler, ih which he said that in aquarreWith MrS Pain she struck on the head with a block of wood. In the afternoon she and hfe were going up the creek eeling. On tbk way up another quarrel to /k place, and she called him a lad name. He then knocked her down witfy a slick. She tft 3 ,wn the hill towards the creek, and he dragged her and pushed her into the creek, and held h=r head under the water till she cea ed to strugg'e. He returned to Pain’a, and went on with his work as if noth’hg had happened. He stayed until the body was found and the inquest held. Hs assisted in lo iking for Mrs Pain, going anywhere and everywhere but where she lay. The day after the murder he told Edward Harris of his de j d, and how he did it. Mr Bell said Harris would be called to prove that Douglas had never mentioned the matter to him. At the inquest prisoner had said that ha and Mrs Pain went fishing, and at ber suggestion he.aft Wards walked up the hill to the top of a spur. He went further on to g<: t <he cows, and the laift he saw of her she was going towards Ashby’s fence. He looked round k second time, and could not see her. When walking up the Irli she appeared stranue, and was muftaring, fie went home, and thought it strange that shfe did not return. Mr Bell, in conclusion* said that it would be much more consistent with facts that the woman wajb murdered, than that she bad a fit and rolled down the hill into the place where she was found. .

Witnesses deposed ho finding the body in the'creek and to the movements of the prisoner, as outlined. In the opening statement of the prosecuting, counsel "k point xvafe made of the fact that theri was only one shoe oa the corpse, the other one being found on a ridge above the creek, from which it was impossible for decersed to haVe rblled while in k fit.

Dr Buteman, who was called to see thk body, and attended the subsequent examination of the remains after four months’ interment, said he still adhered. i'o the belief that the woman died 'from drowning, and that the abrasions on the head were post mortem. There was n 6 wound w hich would lead him to eupposi that deceased was rendered insensibli before drowning. It was possible, sinning that the abrasions were caused during life, for a blow oh that part of tl A head to have caused concussion of the brain. Prisoner was 'committed for the trial at the nvxt criminal sessions.