ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3004, 15 February 1917, Page 6

ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE

VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY. By Telegraph—Preee Association. : Auckland, February 14. At the Supreme Court to-day Thomas Edward Watt Skeltoii appeared charged with attempted murder of his wife, Alico Mary Skelton. and causing bodily harm, at l?ahi, North Auckland, on January 14. Evidence was given for the Crown on the lines of that tendered in- the Lower Court. For the defence evidenco was given that on a fishing trip accused lay down aud slept in the sun. He complained of not feeling well, and said he had suffered from insomnia. Hβ also complained of pains in the head. He had one glass of brewery beer with his lunch, and later had two gla-sses of home-made beer. Evidence given by four doctors was that in their opinion Skelton was in an abnormal mental condition when he attacked his wife. Accused in a written statement attributed the attack, of whioh he had no actual knowledge, to the fact of sleeping in tho sun. His violence was due solely to sunstroke. Hβ objected vehemently to a suggestion that he was a mental defective of long-standing. '' Dr. Pabst, recalled by His Honour, stated that the symptoms described by the accused in his statement were identical with, those of sunstroke, and the condition of frenzy in which accused was said to have been when the attack was made would not occur again except under similar circumstances. Dr. King confirmed this opinion. After a' retirement or" fifteen minutes tho jury returned a verdict of Eot guilty on the grounds that accused was temporarily insane at the time cf the attack, the mental disorder being the result of sunstroke. His Honour said he proposed to order accused to remain in custody of the gaol authorities, and not send him to a mental hospital. Ho would remain in custody until the Governor's pleasure was ascertained.