THE ASHBURTON TRAGEDY

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3874, 31 July 1891, Page 2

THE ASHBURTON TRAGEDY

Hogs Cfcarsred with attempts! Vlft Murder. A Blood Ouxdll&ff Story. Committed for Trial- \ United Press Association.) Ashbubton, Jaly3o. Albert Edward Moss was charged at the Magistrate's Court to-day with assaulting Mary Emma Moss, his wife, with intent to murder her on July 7. The accused had made a miraculous recovery from the terrible wound in his throat; but it is still bandaged, and he is very pale. His wife's wounds have healed, but she carries the scars on her face and neok, and has lost the use of two of her fingers. The acouaed sat, with his facj)* covered in his hands, almost motionless throughout the hearing. The Court was densely crowded. Mrs Moss, wife of accused, gave evidence that she had known accused since childhood. They were engaged in England, and she came to New Zealand, at his request, to marry him. They were married in Christchurch, and came to Ashburton on the same day, where a house was ready prepared. All went well till July 2, when financial difficulties appeared,|and a bailiff was put iPj.but left the next day. AcouseMfeas muoh upset on the 4th. He roWand lit the fire as usual and brought witness a cup of ooooa to her bed. The dregs were gritty. She was very ill afterwards. She had a pain in the stomach, beoame weak, her feet were eold all day, and she occasionally vomited. She remained in bed that and the next day. Her husband was muoh concerned about her, and also troubled about money. On Sunday she spoke to berhußband about the cocoa, saying she felt as if she had been poisoned. He replied, •Ohl no. I know the symptoms quite well.' On Tuesday morning accused rose first. When shaving witness oame into the bedroom, and acoused passed the razor over her face. He afterwards shaved himself.

At breakfast he seemed all right. He asked for money, and she gave him her purse, containing a few shillings. He went out, and returning in a few minutes, he took up the tomahawk with which they broke the coal, and felt its edge. He then with both hands raised the tomahawk, and struck her three blows on the head, 6aoh cutting her. She seized his hand, and he dropped the axe and took a razor from his pocket, and attempted to out her throat. He out her neck and cheek. She caught hold of the razor, and it cut her fingers. She got free, and ran out. On looking back she aaw him cutting his throat. Was taken to the hospital. More than a week before the occurrence her bus- ' band brought home a box of ' Bough on Bats.' She had no knowledge of the possible use he oould have for prussio acid or a revolver. Gross-examined: Her husband at 1 sohool was nervous, and did many peouliar purposeless actions. He had arranged for her to come out by . several different steamers, altering his plan from time to time. His letters referred to sending her money, • and be spoke as if he had command of money. He had brain fever, and ■ was extremely excited on meeting her after her arrival, and oould not sleep. He said he had paid for the furniture, ' had invested his money, and had funds in hand. She had not been. i able to discover any, and believed tfl i statement was a delusion. Until the I bailiff came he was very happy. Her 1 husband was kind, thoughtful, and cheerful. There was no approaoh to • a quarrel. Afterwards there was a' i marked change. He said he got the ' money from Christohurch to. pay the bailiff. Before attaoking her he made \ threatening grimaces and burst out , into fits of laughter. She oould assign i no reason for the attack beyond that bis mind was affected. He did not know what he was doing. To the Bench: She was nervous of her personal safety the night before. Mrs Lane gave evidence that abe visited and saw Mrs Moss while ill from supposed poison. Acoused was very excited, and anxious to know whether his wite would die, A ohemist proved the sale of " Rough on Bats" to accused, and biß assistant gave evidence of aooused trying to purchase prussio aoid. 1 An ironmonger's salesman gave evidence that acoused wanted to bay a revolver on the moming of the I oocurrence.

Moritz Friedlander, head clerk to accused's employer, deposed ttf accused's restlessness the week before the occurrence. At the end of the week he was troubled about some obeques which weighed on his mind. Mr Balek, a pawnbroker, said accused had told him the whole position, and said if he was sold up he could not stand the disgrace, and neither he nor his wife would life to see it. He would never let his wife know «hat he* was.(lHe wanted ft* loan of money, whioh witness could not give him. Cross-examined: All this wild talk was caused by an indebtedness of about £6O.

Mr Brooking, next door neighbour, deposed that he heard screaming and scuffling in Moss' house at the time of the occurrence. He ran out and saw Mrs Moss covered with blood. With others he went inßide and saw Moss lying on the fioor in a pool of blood, apparently dead, and a razor close by. Cross-examined: Did not go into the house when he heard the screams. The whole affair did not last a minute, A policeman gave evidence that accused, on his way to theJJpspital, wrote on the side of tlflfettrest wagon,' Bobbed—really BW&JSfc I have lost all my money, £lB5. Where is my wife ? A man swindled me.'i A letter found in accused's, pocket was' put in, but not read. Another letter found on him was'addressed to one of the employers, in connection with the case, and referred to the cheques. The constable who bad charged accused in the hospital said that some days airier the occurrence he said he remembered bis wife's hand raised, He had a razor in his hand at thp time. He remembered nothing else till he was turned over on his baok, and heard somebody say, " He's dead," and the Dr "There's very little hope for him," When charged, acoused said, "Not of any malice aforethought." He also said, " It is a pity somebody did not interfere when the screams were heard." He could not urderstand bow the affair had arisen. He and his wife bad gone to school together, and never bad a cross word. Crosj-examined: Accused sometimes spoke of having money out on interest, about £IOO. He spoke very affectionately of his wife. The meoicai evidence described Mrs Mobs' injuries, and could not understand how fcer skull escaped being

ractured. One doctor considere d the symptoms described as sufficient to give rise to the suspicion of insanity. The hospital surgeon was thoroughly convinced that Mois was not sane when he committed the deed, though sane now. He was a man of unstable mind, and not responsible for his actions when he committed the act. He was unfit to be at large, as the least excitement would unhinge his mind. The shock to Mrs Moss was very severe, but she was a brave woman, and the consequences were less serious than might have been expected. Accused was able to sUnd his trial now. Accused's counsel offered no evidence, and Moss was committed for trial at the Supreme Court in Christ--ohurch on August 10th.