THE STRONVAR TRAGEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 265, 7 November 1919, Page 7

THE STRONVAR TRAGEDY.

RESIDE IN COURT. CHARGED WITH MURDER. EVIDENCE OF INSANITY* (By Telegraph.—Press. Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. In the Supreme Court to-day the trial commenced of James Reside, a returned soldier, on a charge of murdering Christopher Carr, at Stronrar, Wairarapa, on the 6th September. Mr. Justice Chapman was on the Bench. Mr. Macassey appeared from the Grown, and Mr. Wilford and Mr. Pragnell for the defence. Mr. Maeassey, in opening the case, said the defence would be that accused was of unsound mind when he committed the murder. Evidence was given on similar lines to that in the Lower Court and at the inquest. Alexander Reside (father of accused) was asked by the Judge if his eon was queer before he went to the front. He replied "Yes, your Honor. He went the same way as his mother." Mr. Wilford said it would be proved that the mother was in a mental hospital. Witness, cross examined, said his eon had an idea that Carr was in league with someone outside with a bomb to blow them up. The bomb idea was continually in his mind, Accused, prior j£> going to the war, had a despondent tendency, and on one occasion gave himself up to the police at Masterton to prevent himself from committing suicide. Accused's mother's aunt was mentally 'a,fhVcted. Accused left with the 40th Reinforcements, and went through a terrible epidemic experience on the Tahiti after the vessel left Sierra Leone.