MURDER CHARGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 50, 29 January 1932, Page 8

MURDER CHARGE

CASE AT WANGANUI.

Per Press Association. . i WANGANUI, Jan. 29. Indicted with the murder of Alfred George Donaldson, on December 13, at Wanganui. Elizabeth Grace Donaldson appeared in the Police Court to-day. Stanley Annabell, draughtsman, gave evidence regarding* the measurements of the house in which the alleged crime took place. , , Edwin Richardson, photographer, said that on December 14, accompanied By Detective Walsh, 'he took a photograph of the residence. Dr J. W. Anderson said that, accompanied by two other doctors, he conducted a post-mortem examination at the morgue. He found a punctured wound li inches long on the right side of deceased’s neck. The direction of the wound was downward and inward. There was a small abrasion on the right of the fprehead. A bread knife produced fitted the wound exactly. Dr Anderson said that it would take force to make the wound in deceased’s neck. Dr J. H. Reid said he was called to the scene of the tragedy on December 18 and found Donaldson dead. Witness said it would not have taken much violence to produce the wound in Donaldson’s neck. Witness said he had been Mrs Donaldson’s attendant for five years. He had attended her for an illness in 1927, which was brought about by external violenoe. She had been struck on the arms and legs. In January, 1931, she had been suffering from severe haemorrhage, which lasted for some time. She had been ill for several months. There were again bruises on the abdomen and also severe bruises elsewhere. All the marks could have been caused by a human agency. Hector George Brewer said that he resided in a flat pext door to the scene of the tragedy. At about ten o’clock on the nignt of the happening he heard Mrs Donaldson scream and that first attracted his attention. He heard a voice say: "Wash that knife.” From a window witness saw Donaldson stagger out and gurgle“My God, get a doctor.” When witness dressed and went out he found Donaldson lying on the ground. Witness went to try and Eick him up and blood poured out of is neck. Witness wrapped the body in a blanket. While witness was in the garden he saw Mrs Kerr, Mrs Donaldson’s stepmother, wiping something in the passage. Jean Florence Brewer said that she was in her kitchen at about 6.30 p.m. on December 13, when Mrs Donaldson asked her if she had seen Donaldson at the beach. Witness replied: “No.” Mrs Donaldson said that her husband had been out since 11 o’clock in the morning. Mrs Donaldson appeared to be annoyed. At about ten o’clock on the same evening witness heard Mrs Donaldson exclaim: “Mother, wash that knife!’’ .Witness went to her kitchen window and saw Donaldson stagfer out and collapse in the front garen. Witness did not know deceased very well. Mrs Donaldson was a nice woman. , '

Margaret Signal said she knew both Mr and Mrs Donaldson fairly well. On December 13 witness was in her kitchen at about 10 p.m. She heard a little noise and voices, coming from a nearby residence. She 1 heard a man’s voice and later' a woman’s voice. They appeared to be arguing, Witness heard a man’s voice say: “I cannot stand much of this.” Later a female voice said: “I am not well here for you.” Witness said that the latter remark was voiced by Mrs Donaldson.. Then witness heard a cry.: “Oh, oh,’.’ as if someone was hurt. She heard ■’Mrs Donaldson rushing about as- if in distress, and heard her exclaim: “Hero, mother, take this knife.” Mrs Donaldson came to witness’s place and said: “Oh, Mrs Signal, I have stabbed Alf; poor Alf, T have murdered Alf! Look at my hands! Oh, Mrs Signal, I could not .put up with it!” Leonard Banks said that Mrs Donaldson called out for him to come quickly. She asked him to ring for a doctor, remarking: “I have injured my husband.” He asked her what had happened. Accused replied that her husband hit her on the head and was coming at her again, when she picked up a knife. He ducked on to it and cut himself. Edward John Reid said that Mrs Donaldson called on him one. Sunday morning and remarked that her husband had not come home that morning until the early hours. She said she would do something . drastic und threatened to leave him. Constable C. Smith said that accused remarked to him: “Oh,. Mr Smith, this is the result of a family quarrel.” Later she remarked: “Oh, my poor Alf. I do wish that he was here again.” Detective Walsh said that accused when asked if she felt able to give particulars remarked: “Poor Alf. I adored the ground he walked on. He had been out all day and did not come home for his meals. When asked where he had been he would not tell me. We had a row and he felled me to the wall. I got up and sat on a chair. Alf picked up a bread knife and threatened to do for me. I took the knife from nim and made a stab as he went out the back door. He ducked and the knife cut him about the shoulder.”