MURDER TRIAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 126, 29 May 1915, Page 9

MURDER TRIAL

CASE OF NORMAN KEALS QUESTION OF MENTAL RESPONSIBILITY. (8T TEIBOIUrH.— PBBgg AS3OCUTIOH.) AUCKLAND, 28th May. The charge against the young man Norman Edwin Reals of having on or about Bth February last murdered his sister-in-law (Edith Emma Keals) and her infant child at West Opuatia, near Ouewhero, was continued before the Chief Justice to-day. FATHER'S EVIDENCE. Robert William Keals, a retired architect and father of the prisoner, explained thai, some time a-go he had spoken about dividing the Onewhero farm among his three sons, Leslie, George, and Norman. He ultimately sold the farm which was known as "Glencairn," to Leslie, but intended to make it up to the prisoner for his share by giving him a dairy farm at Papakura. He did not appear to take much interest in dairying, however, so he was contemplating some other plan. Cross-examined by Mr. Martin, the witness said there was absolutely no illfeeling so far as he knew between the prisoner and Mrs. Leslie Keals. Witness remarked that his son Norman seemed to have a craze respecting religious matters, and was always talking about going to Egypt as a missionary, though he possessed no qualifications for missionary work. The next thing prisoner did was to start taking lessons in singing and music, although he had no idea of music whatever. After two or three lessons he gave it up. Shortly after this (witness continued) a friend who was staying at witness's house at Otahuhu complained that one night the prisoner had entered her room and tried to smother her with a pillow. Sho jumpedout of the window and went for the police. Later on the prisoner stole a horse and gig at Penrose, and on conviction was released on probation. Dr. Beattie, superintendent of the Avondale Mental Hospital, saw him about this time, and afterwards sent him to the Great Barrier Island, but his conduct continued to be unsatisfactory. For a theft of some firearms the prisoner was sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment, befng released in 1910, and subsequently he went to Sydney, where he committed an offence and served a term of imprisonment. , REMARKABLE LETTER. At this stage the following remarkable letter,, written by the prisoner to his' parents while serving a sentence in Bathurst gaol in February of last year, was produced :—: — "Dear Mother and Father, — I have come to the conclusion that it is time to say 'I will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto Him : "'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in Thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called Thy son." ' Make my bungalow for me at Glencairn. "Well, I have been having some dreams lately, and no mistake. The night before last I thought I saw an angel sitting on mv window sill, and, of course, being a little afraid of burglars, lup out of bed and said : 'What do you want, old chap?' " 'Oh,' he says, 'don't think I do things like you nsed to do ; but seeing you have altered your course a few points and seem to be inclined to steer clear of all dangerous obstaclrs in the future and keeping a good look-out, I just came along to see if you would eire to go back to New Zealand by fksl-class saloon, aeroplane, or whether yon would care to go back stetrage by the Wimmera.' "Well. 'Thanks,' I said. 'I am not particular so ' long as I get there ; but just by way of a ' change I wouldn't mind goinp" by fi-st-clnss saloon aeroplane.' "Well, another night I thought I saw nothing but fowls roosting on my hammock — a fine lot of crossbred kiwis, and the roost°r was a pure-bred moa. There were eggs everywhere, and I was saying to myself : ' There's eggs for breakfast in the morning, anyway.' I did really think of saying. 'May the' Lord make me trnly thankful for what I am about to receive ' that morning, but I can tell you I was disappointed when I woke up. ' " A few nights before that I thought I saw nothing but cowe. Then I began to think about those blessed cows. The first thing that flashed across my mind was, did I set the alarm clock for 4 a.m. I really thought I was at Papakura, and I was thinking of the respectable hours wo used to keep at Bathurst. Then I saw a trap driving along the Mangere road with old Luck in the shafts and Tumberumba in the lead. Well, I thought there Was a bright side to dairying, after all ; so I woke up, and said, 'I wish I was at Papakura.' " How long does it take to get to the factory in the aeroplane? I guess tho milk gets a bit sky-blue when you bump up against a rain-cloud. I guess there are no objections to sending that other half of the return ticket. So now, my amiable and loving ma "and pa, I must make my final bow-wow from Noo South. With love to all. — Your loving eon, Norman E. Keals." Re-examined, the witness stated that the fright received by an elderly lady at Otahuhu had not been definitely traced to the accused. HUSBAND OF MURDERED WOMAN. Leslie William Keals, husband of the murdered woman, stated that at no time had he quarrelled with his brother. A number of witnesses followed in qnick succession to connect the murders with the prisoner, whose counsel assisted in facilitating proceedings relating to facts by consenting to leading questions on behalf of the Crown and in doing nothing in the way of cross - examination. STATE OF ACCUSED'S MIND. Mr. Martin, in opening the case for the defence, said that there was no denial of the main facts of the case as they had been put before the Court. The real question that the jury had to consider was the state of accused's mind when he committed the offence. A number of witnesses were heard, including medical men. Dr. Parkes said that be met accused at Orewa. Accused then appeared to be quite incapable of looking after himself. Dr. Tracy Inglis said that in June, 1908, he attended accused at his father's request- Accused was in a nervous condition, and witness warned his father that he might possibly become insane and that he needed careful treatment. He then appeared to be commencing insanity and to have a tendency to religious mania. Dr. R. M. Beattie. superintendent of the Auckland Mental Hospital, said that he had seen accused on several occasions. _He first saw him six or seven years ago, when he concludjed that he was a mental defective. He considered that he was bo constituted as to be a menace to society. Witness examined accused after the Onewhero tragedy. He then found no reason to alter his previous opinion that accrued was mentally deficient, especially in a moral sense. Dr. Beattie- said that lie thought prisoner knew he was doing wrong, but that he did not have the same appreciation of wrong-doing that a mas in a normally mental state would have. • Mr. Martin : " Do you think that he now appreciates the eeriou.»!H*fl of hi* poaitioar'

Witness : " I do not think he does. He seems to have no remorse whatever." His Honour : " There are many criminals like that." Mr. Tole : "Your deliberate opinion, I understand, is that the man is morally and mentally defective, but that he is legally sane, and that he understood the nature and quality oi the act, and knew it was wrong ?" Witness : "I believe that is so, although his appreciation of wrong is not neaarly so acute as that of a naturally sano man.'! This concluded the evidence, and the trial was adjourned until the morning.