WOMAN WOUNDED

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 54, 27 November 1930, Page 13

WOMAN WOUNDED

Husband Before Court AXE ALLEGEDLY USED Attempted Murder Charge By Telegraph—Press Association. Tauinariniuij November 26. An attack upon his wife with a tomahawk was alleged to have been made by William Barrett Browning, aged 51, when he was charged with attempting to murder Lucy Ann Browning. Mrs. Browning stated that after a dispute accused had aimed a blow at her face with a tomahawk, but she had received it on her arm, and that other blows had been struck. A constable said accused had pleaded that his wife had made him jealous. Accused pleaded not guilty, re--1 served his defence, and was committed for trial at Hamilton. The charge was heard before justices of the peace at Ohura. Detective Walsh conducted the prosecution, and Mr. J. N. McKenzie, of Taumarunui, appeared for the accused. Wife's Evidence. Lucy Ann Browning, aged 41, wife of the accused, said she married him at Rewa on April 19, 1930. Her husband described himself as an overseer in the Public Works Department. After the marriage she joined her husband, at the camp at Te Kopuiti. She met him first at Auckland on January 8, and on November 6 was living with him at Te Kopuiti. , . , On the evening of November b T s^ e ’ her daughter Lucy, accused, and John Dobree were playing cards in the kitchen. A dispute arose, and she asked Browning to light the lamp. The accused did not speak, nor did he light the lamp. She got up to light the lamp, and said she would throw him and the lamp through the window. She was angry. Later, the accused forced his way into witness’s bedroom. She was near the doorway, and the accused moved toward her. She pushed him, and he stumbled against a box in the porch. The accused then struck her on the chin, which was cut. She ran outside screaming. She could not say what the accused struck her with. She then ran toward the garden, where she slipped or overbalanced and fell on her back. The accused was then at her side with a tomahawk in his hand, and attacked her again, said witness. She succeeded in getting the axe from the accused while she was still on the ground, but the accused kept on hitting her. John Dobree came along and helped her to her feet. She held the axe while Dobree went for assistance. Evidence was given by. Lucy Browning and Dobree, who said they heard screams and ran toward the house, where they found Mrs. Browning lying on the ground, and the accused standing over her. Lucy Browning fainted. Doctor Describes Wounds. Constable Ebbett said that in response to a telephone message on November 6 he went to Te Kopuiti with Dr, Turnbull. They went to Browning’s house and Dr. Turnbull dressed Mrs. Browning’s wounds, which consisted of a cut six inches long on the left forearm, a cut on the right forearm, a cut on the chin, and a cut on the back of the head. She had bruises on her face and left hand. > Accused’s Allegations. The accused told witness that he would make a statement showing that he had provocation. The accused said he could not control himself, and complained about men who visited the house being in positions and places they had no right to be. riin wife had told him to get out of the house and go to the tent. He caught hold of the axe and his wife fell, but he did not know what he had done. There had been one long quarrel over men, and if he was jealous he had reason to be. The accused also told witness that there had been a party and everyone had more drink than was good for them. His wife got “silly drunk.” The accused also stated that of his six months’ married life his wife had spent two months in Auckland having a good time, and when she returned she told him to “go to hell.”