ADDINGTON MURDER. THE CASE OF HANS WILSON.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1908, Page 2

ADDINGTON MURDER. THE CASE OF HANS WILSON.

COMMITTED TO A MENTAL HOSPITAL. THE PROCEEDINGS IN COURT. A telegram from Chriatchurch published yesterday briefly recorded the fact that Hans Wilson, who had been before the Supreme Court, charged with the murder of his wife at Addington in November last had been committed to a mental hospital. A report in the Christchruch Press shows that whep asked how he pleaded, Wilson who showed signs of great emotion, articulated with some difficulty, "Guilty." His Honour suggested to the Crown Prosecutor that the first question to determine was whether the prisoner was in a condition to plead. The Crown Prosecutor replied that this was done in some cases, but not in all. The prisoner might be- in a condition to plead, and yet not be responsible for his action ,at the time it was committed: His Honour: I cannot order him to' plead, and I cannot order a plea of "not guilty" be recorded in place of one of "guilty."' Tho best' course is to decide the question whether ho was responsible .for his action. Mr. Stringer : There is provision in the Lunatics Act to deal with that as a preliminary question. His Honour: That would be tho piuper course. From what I have heard of the case, I may anticipate that the Crown have no intention 1 of suggesting that the man was at the time of his action sane within the meaning of the Act. Mr. Stringer : No. - His Honour (addressing the prisoner) : Your better course will be to formally plead "not guilty." If you were not afc. the time of the commission of tKo act able to appreciate the nature of your act the proper plea is "not guilty." Do you understand me? The prisoner (brokenly)': I understand, sir. Ilis Honour : Very well ; wo will take a plea of "not guilty." Evidence as to the commission of tho crime was given and Dr. Gow, medical superintendent of the Sunnyside Mental Hospital gave particulars of Wilson's former committal to that institution and of his subsequent release on probation. A condition was that a prohibition order should be taken out against him, and that his wife should report if she saw any change, or if he started drinking. Witness was satisfied that at tho time of Wilson's first committal he was of unsound mind. Mr. Stringer : In your opinion, was he at the time of the murder labouring under a, disease of the mind, such as to render him incapable of knowing the quality of the act, or knowing it was wrong ? Dr. Gow : I consider that he had a second attack of delusional insanity In reply to further questions, witness said that Wilson was still suffering from delusional insanity. Dr. Marks, Addington, gave evidence that he had attended Wilson for influenza after his release from the Mental Hospital. Influenza always had a depressing effect on the mind, and the effect would bo intensified in the case of a man who had suflered from insanity.. Witness was quite satisfied that Wilson was irresponsible at the time of tho murder, and that he did not appreciate his act,' within the meaning of the Code. The prisoner, when called upon for his defence had nothing to say. His Honour, ■ summing up, said that the Crown did not dispute the man's insanity, and theAjury had only to consider whether there was any doubt about his mental condition. The law presumed that a man was sane until ho was proved insane. There could be no doubt that the man, at the time of tho act, was not in a responsible mental condition. He had been pufc in the mental hospital for insanity after he had made an attack on his wife, but he was released. His Honour did not discuss the release, beyond remarking that it was an unfortunate thing. Very often the victim in such a case was the main cause of the release. Ther.e could oe no doubt that once a man suffered from delusional insanity he was a dangerous man, as there was no knowing what his delusions would lead him to do. Should the jury give- a verdict in accordance with that view, the prisoner would be taken care of in some mental hospital. The jury retired at 3.30 p.m., and feturned at 3.46 with a verdict of "Not guilty, owing to insanity." His Honour concurred with the verdict. He ordered tho prisoner 1 to be kept in strict custody in the Sunnyside Mental Hospital until the pleasure of the Colonial Secretary was known.