COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 17, 17 December 1932, Page 8

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

CHARGE AT PATEA. Per Press Association. HAWERA, Dec. 16. On a charge of having attempted the murder of William Janies Carradus, at Patea on the night of October 20, Alexander Myles, aged 26, single, was committed for trial at the Wanganui Supreme Court. When he appeared before the Justice of the Peace in the Patea Court to-day hail was refused. William James Carradus, aged 31, married, was wheeled into Court in an invalid chair to give evidence. He referred to the alleged confession to hint by Myles and denials by Mrs Carradus concerning the relationships between Myles and Mrs Carradus when the Carradus family previously had rooms at Myles’s residence. Witness said he returned home about 9.30 on the night of October 19, fastened the gate with a strap, and next morning saw that the gate had been propped open with a piece of wood. About 8.30 on the night of October 20 ho answered a knock at the door, but could see no one. Ho walked in his pyjamas round the side of the house, and was about to re-enter when he was, fired at from close range, the left leg above the knee being shattered badly. He saw a man run away through the gate but could not recognise him in the darkness. Rose Pretoria Carradus, wife of the injured man, gave evidence of having heard a shot, and her husband call out “I’m shot.” When witness got to the doer she saw her husband trying to crawl into a porchway. Later she noticed the gate propped open. Next morning she saw a felt wad and shotgun cartridge lying near the back door. Replying to counsel for Myles, witness said she had been fairly friendly with Myles when all were staying in the one house. Counsel: Was there any talk of you and Myle3 leaving New Zealand together ? ■Witness: Well, it was his idea. He wanted me to leave. The police produced statements in which Myles said he had borrowed a shotgun on October 17 to go rabbit shooting. On .the night of October 19 he went into the grounds at the rear of the house where Mr and Mrs Carradus had rooms, propping the gate open, he supposed, lest anyone should come out. He did nob knock. After a time he went away. Next evening he went to the house carrying a shotgun, both barrels of which were loaded. He at first placed the gun on the ground near the gate. After the third kock on the door he picked the gun up, cocking the trigger as he did so, and hid in the bushes. Mr Carradus, who was walking round the house, stopped near Myles’s hiding place. Myles thought that Mr Carradus was looking at him. Myles had the gun under his arm, the barrel pointing toward Mr Carradus. Without taking aim he pulled the trigger and the gun went off. When Mr Carradus fell Myles ran through the gate he previously had left propped open. The Court suppressed portions or Myles’s statement to the police concerning his association with Mrs Carradus. The accused, who reserved his defence, was committed for trial.