ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO MURDER

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 183, 29 April 1920, Page 4

ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO MURDER

NEWBERRY BEFORE MAGISTRATE

SENT TO HIGHER COURT

FOR TRIAL

A charge of attempted murder, preferred against James Newberry, a* discharged soldier. nas heard yesterday by Mr. I'. L. Boilings, S.M. The victims of the alleged attempt were Caroline Christina, _ Cooper and her sister Annie Christina Sitjoth. Chief Detective Ward prosecuted, and Mr. A. B. Sicvwriglit conducted Ihe defence.

Caroline Ohristina Cooper, w:dow, said that she had known the accused ahout seven months. She fir.it met him when lie waß a patient in the Dannevirkc Hospital. Later, accused was a, patient in the Trentham Military Hospital. Witness came to Wellineton with her children, the accused, and her brother, and they all reßided at No. 3 Entrance Street.. <»fT Aro Street. Witness had onga.Ted ■ herself to marry accused, hut a dispute took vlace, Newberry accusing her of havina been out with another man. The cimiißemint v, T aB fch.cn broken off. witness stat'.nc that she would never marry him. On (hp day after tho dispute, accused apologised for his conduct and desired witness to renew the eneagoment. but witness refusad. Some time later, accused handed witness a dismi sting letter addressed to her, and after tho receipt of a second epistle she tcfused to have anything more to do i with. I.iin. On April 8 witness was working at the Zealandia Cafe. She went home at 10 n.m. and retired at midnight. About 2 a.m. she was awakened by a hand crinpin? her throat. She endeavoured to scream out, and a, hand was placed over her month. It was very dark, but she could tell that lit assiu'lant was Ncwberrv. She struggled, and managed to aet his hand from her mouth. Then she screamed out. Witness's mother and sister, who were sleeps ing in another room, ran ill. and accused lied to the HTOilevv. where in an ensuing strupgle, lie struck witness's sister over the head with an iron bar. She fell to the floor. Accused then struck witness several blows, and again attacked her pisf.er, Jtiss Skjoth who managed to run outside to obtain help.

Under cross-examination witness said she knew that Newberry had been severely wounded >at the front: that he had bten a nrißoner of war in Germany; and that ho had been in hosmtal nractifally ever since he returned from the front. His conduct wag strange when he expressed a desire for the renewal of the engagement.

Medical evidence was given by Dr. lie?, whn Eaid that Mm. Cooper was much more seriously injured than Miss Skioth. To his mind a person who used such a- weapon as that produced would to i.ust as likely to kill as 10 inflict severe injuries, for it was largely a matter of luck whether blows from Euch a weanon would cause death or not. Miss Skjo'/i corroborated the evidence of her sister. The accused pleaded not nruilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.