R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1563, 19 December 1883, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

(BY TELEQRAra.)

CARTERTi >N.-WEMESDAY,

ATTEMPTED MURDER CASE.

[Before H. S. Waedell, R.M.]

Alex. Anderson was charged with the attempted murder of Mary White by stabbing with a knife in the neok. Mr Sandilands for defendant, The Court was crowded this morning to hear the case, and the evidence was listened to with breathless interest.

James Peters deposed: I saw prisoner on the 12th inst. between five and six in the evening opposite my shop, there was a woman and child with him, I saw them pass my shop. I saw the prisoner strike the woman twice, once in the side and once iu the face. Ho pulled something off her, I could not see what it was. The womau then ran across the road into my shop from the prisoner, and asks 1 leave to come in and sit down. I said yes, The little hoy and prisoner followed her, and oame into my Bhop. He accused the woman of adultery, and oalled her a b whoro. I asked him whether' he was mad or a fool. Prisoner said, " We have three miles to go; I will kill you before you get that distance." I told him not to do it before the public, there were other ways of doing it without that. He picked up my shop knife off the counter. I told him I wanted it and took it from him. He then took a pocket knife out of his pocket. I asked him to have a smoko, He sharpened bis knife on the eyelet punch (produoed.in Court),

He did not have a smoke, and put the knife back in his pooket. The womin went ont of my shop, and the little boy said "she is going, father,". The boy followed her. After the woman went ont prisoner told me his troubles, and said: "We have three miles to go, and I will kill her before she get! hone. I law prisoner overtake her after leaving my shop, she ran away from him towards the school, and he followed her, I saw Ihem together afterwardg. [Peters here' identified Mary Whllo.'J Cross-examined: I never saw these people before. Tho woman was intoxicated, She could walk straight He'wai the soberest of the two, She was under the influence oi liquor, She said she was frightened of him, They were in my dbop for a quarter of an hour. An oyolot punoh will sharpen a knife; I have tried it. I went to the polioe, bat they were away, I thought there would bo murder. From what ho said in the shop I feared that there would .be mischief. I saw no stones thrown. Greeks was in the shop tho whole time, It was a one-bladed knifo ho. sharpened, He had been in the shop live minutes before he sharpened hit knife, He made the threat before he took the knife ont of his pooket, Ho said she had been with a man that day, I thought he would attempt to kill her by his pulling out bis knife, i took no steps to prevent the crime. I fully thought the man meant to commit murder.

[Left Sitting.]