CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15121, 10 November 1914, Page 3

CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER.

IX TEMUKA DISTEICr,

On .Sunday afternoon, in Timaru, a youth named-John Daintry Campbell UiTch, alias Jack Palmer, seventeen years of age, was arrested just a^-he was about (o drive off in a gig. Ho was before the Court, at. Timaru yesterday, charged with having attempted to murder James O'Connell. a dairy farmer, at Clandoboye, :i i'oiv miles from Teiinika. Accused was also c-harßod with having escaped ' from i*nrnham. Industrial School, and on both charges J:o wa.s ranauded for eight days O'Cotinrjii is in.a critical state, and Ins depositions were taken in the early- hours of yesterday moruin<r It appears that a fortnight ago, Mr U Connell. who is a single man, 'took into ius omploy a youth who gave his name, as Palmer. On Saturday 0 Council was not feeling very well, which fact ho mentioned to Paimer, who offered-to, milk .the cows-on Saturday afternoon while his employer rested On Sunday -mor-niug. it alwut |.IO J o olocfc a. neighbour called to sco ■Mγ O ■Lonnell. and found, him in a dazed condition trying t o mjlk a cow. .He did not appear to know, what ho was doing, and the visitor' discoyered that O'Connell had a'wound in the back of Jiis head.. 3 J inches long, the cut «- tending to tho Iwno. o'Con.ncll could not teii how ho had come by the injury, but tvi'ul that he had it when ho woke up at.half-past four on S'.inclay morning An examination of the bed showed that he had lost a lot of blood, the bed-clothee being saturated. The injury, looked as though it might have been caused by aii axe.

The neighbour found that tho youth employed on tho farm had disappeared," and that O'CounelFs horse, trap, and harness, his cheque-book, a watch and gold .chain, his overcoat and some Money were missing. H o took the injured man to Temuka for medical •■attention, after which ho was taken to Tiniiiru Hospital.• where an operation was found to be necessary.

Constable Hyland, of Temuka. informed. Sub-Inspector Cruioksban'k ol tho affair at 1 o'clock ou Sunday afternoon, and at 3 o'clock Constable Peterson arrested the accused.