WIFE SHOT IN BED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9382, 2 December 1920, Page 4

WIFE SHOT IN BED.

CHARGE AGAINST HUSBAND

ATTEMPTED MURDER ALLEGED. CHRISTCHURCH, December 1. . Frederick Malaquin was charged I before Mr McCarthy, 5.M.,. in the^T Magistrate's Court with having at New Brighton,, on November 7, attempted to murder his wife, Irene Ruth Malaquin, by shooting at her with a revolver. Mr A. T. Donnelly prosecuted for. the Crown, and Mr "M. J. Gresson represented the accused. • * Mrs Malaquin stated that on Saturday,, November 6, they retired about 11.30 or "midnight.. Witness went to sleep, and some time later awoke, feeling' a pain in her head. Her husband was standing beside the bed. v He said that she had' a hole in' her face, and suggested that she had shot herself. She thought that someone outside must have shot her. ' Her husband suggested that he should go for- a doctor, but she would not let him, as she' was afraid' to- be left alone. Her hus-, band called in a doctor on Sunday morning, and she was ordered to the hospital. At the hospital on- Monday her husband told her he had shot her accidentally, and had admitted that to the police. Witness was very much surprised, because up till then she had 1 no idea who it was who had done the j shooting. He explained that he ' thought he heard someone in the house, but a search proved that he was misK taken, and while putting the revolver under the pillow it discharged. She asked why he had not told ncr before, and he said he was too scared to do so. She had lived happily with her husband, and there was no reason why he should want to injure her. The bullet was removed from her head at the hospital. She thought the present charge against her husband was sheer nonsense. Since coming out of the hospital she had been living with him. As far as the present proceedings were^«, concerned she was on her husband's y side. " ' - / . Evidence of Medical-Wten. . Dr. Glasgow,, of New Brighton, said Mrs Malnqujn'^when he was summoned to attend her, said she did not know how the injury was incurred, but suggested that she had, shot herself, or ; that someone' outside the house had shot her=-—He saw Malaquin on Sunday evening, and he could not offer any, expiation' for the shooting, except that - possibly liis wife had shot herself,'or that he had done it in his sleep. Dr.. Gould") said that-the" bullet wound ,was in the'j right temple, and apparently it,had been fired ill a downward and inward direction. The hair around the, wound was ,singed t and the skin scorched, Vindicating., that the weapon had been discharged ,at close range. It was unlikely that such ,a wound was-self-inflicted. If the woman was lying |on her back when her husband was placing the revolver under the pillow it would' have been possible by an accidental discharge of the' weapon to have caused the injury, but witness did not think it probable. Dr. Acland gave corroborative evidence, but added that if the man was standing outside the bed Mrs Malaquin would have been deliberately shot. At this stage the Court adjourned till to-morrow. CHRISTCHURCH. This Day. The hearing of the charge against Frederick Malaquin was resumed. Detective's Investigations. Detective Quartermain _ said he savvey. Malaqtdiif at the hospital;';, The accused/ said he knew nothing about thG< matter, that Mrs Malaquin must haveshot herself in her sleep. ■ She had ■ walked in her sleep since girlhood. On the way to New Brighton the accused said there was no reason for thinking his wife would attempt to commit ' suicide. Witness repeatedly asked the ■ accused if he had shot his wife acci- ! dentally, and the accused always denied ■ it. Later, at the police station Malal. ,quin made a statement. s Detective Quartermain said that in : his statement the accused advanced the ■ theory that his wife shot herself in her s sleep. In a second statement he said ; he got the revolver, believing a bur- , glar was on the premises. .He found , no one,. and returned to bed. In' ■ putting the. revolver, under his pillow , accidentally; '" exploded, ; the bullet /striking his wife' IJ He'aid not immedi- ; Jately go for a l'doctor, als his ;wife clung •t^'him and bagged notjEabe/left^alone. ," '""Continuing ' r( jiis' evidence^ Detective • ' Quartermain detailed farther conyersa- , Jtions with' the accused, including^'a Reference "to his "alleged relations with ofher women/i, ' .Mr'Gressih who appeared for. the : accused^,' subjected' the '< .witness to a ' •very lengtny" cross-examination, and "took strong exception v to what he re- ■ garded' 'as the third 'degree examination by the police. ' i- : Committed For Trial. The Magistrate said Mr Justice ' Edwards had laid^it down,that where -a'&erson wa's sus'jiteeled of a'crime, but , the police recognised he might be able . to give a satisfactory explanation of the circumstances which 'appeared to ! tell against him, and they had not | made up their minds to arrest him, it was proper to give that person an"" ; opportunity of making an explanation. Two female witnesses gave evidence that the accused posed to thejn as being a single man. • r ' Counsel for the defence tendered 1 Malaquin as a witness, but on hearing him the Magistrate considered there was a prima facie case to answer. Defence was reserved, and tlhe accused was- committed for trial, bail being allowed.