SERIOUS CHARGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 28, 13 November 1939, Page 6

SERIOUS CHARGE

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER. ACCUSED REMANDED IN CUSTODY THE HOTEL INCIDENT. (Per Press Association). AUCKLAND, November 13. As a sequel to the finding of a man and a married woman with their wrists gashed in a bedroom at the Station Hotel last Monday morning, the mail, Francis Leonard Laurie, a storeman, aged 39, has been arrested. Laurie appeared at tho Police Court to-day before Mr Molding, S.M, charged that on November 5 lie attempted to murder Josephine Norton Layeock. Asking for a remand till November 27, Detective-Sergeant Trethewey said lie was instructed to oppose bail, should such be requested, and to point out that accused was not baleable as of right. “The circumstances leading to tho arrest,” said (Detective Trethewey, ‘‘are that accused and the woman named in the charge booked at an hotel in the city on November 5 under the names “Mr and Mrs Laurie.” Next morning accused and the woman were found in a bedroom in a semi-conscious condition, both bleeding freely from incised wounds on the left wrists. The woman was also suffering from poisoning. A bottle that had contained poison was found in the room and had been traced to Laurie’s possession.”

The detective added that Laurie was arrested yesterday on his discharge from hospital. The woman, whose condition was more serious than that of accused, is still in hospital and her condition is not altogether favourable.

Mr F. McCarthy, who appeared for accused, did not oppose the remand, which was granted.