Widow sent to trial

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33672, 23 October 1974, Page 3

Widow sent to trial

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Oct 22. The widow of the Presbyterian minister at St Heliers was today committed to the Supreme Court for trial on a charge of murdering her husband. Mrs Aldwyth Williams, aged 56, pleaded not guilty before Mr C. E. H. Pledger, S.M., in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court to a charge of murdering Noel Charles Williams on September 4. After the taking of depositions, the Magistrate committed her for trial. Mr D. S. Morris appeared for the Crown, and Mr J. S. Henry for the accused. CANCER CASE

Dr A. J. Paterson said Mr Williams had been his patient since August, 1971. Terminal cancer was diagnosed in August this year. Witness said Mrs Williams was also his patient and he had treated her for endogenous depression. This was a depression arising from the patient’s own constitution and not precipitated by some external factor.

Dr Paterson said he saw 1 Mrs Williams on August 30 in relation to her husband’s j health. He felt from her demeanour and conversation that she was coping with the situation remarkably well. About 7.45 a.m. on September 4, after a telephone call from a son of the defendant, ■ he went to the Williams’ home. “PATHOS” In an upstairs bedroom he saw a scene of indescribable pathos. Mr Williams was in bed, and Mrs Williams was sitting on the floor with the front of her dress covered in blood. Mr Williams had a stab wound over the heart. Witness said he examined Mrs Williams, and found evidence of substantial lacerations of both wrists and the neck. Defendant told him, “I tried but the blood . just coagulated.” Dr Paterson said he did not ask any questions, but Mrs Williams said quietly, ■ “Everything was just too imuch for me.” I In the dining room there iwas a pool of blood, and I lying in it was a carving . knife, he. said. 1 Cross-examined by Mr,

Henry, Dr Paterson said he thought Mr Williams’s life expectancy would not have been more than eight weeks. Witness said that when the Williams first caftie to Auckland, Mrs Williams had a letter from a doctor in Wanganui introducing her, and saying he had treated her for some time for episodes of depression. She was under medication and taking laroxyl, said witness. Sister B. E. Jones said she was on duty at the accident and emergency department at Auckland Hospital on September 4, and cleaned Mrs Williams’s wounds. Witness asked if the wounds hurt and Mrs Williams replied, “It’s not that that’s worrying me, it’s the fact I killed my husband this morning.” I “COULD NOT COPE” I She said her husband had 1 had cancer for 18 months and she could not cope and I was not a very good nurse. Evidence given by Detec- , tive-Sergeant A. R. White > and Detective Senior-Ser-geant G. M. Downey, of ; interviews with defendant I was suppressed by the Court ; after Mr Henry made a formal objection on its admissiII bility.