ALLEGED MURDER

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 106, 1 November 1933, Page 13

ALLEGED MURDER

QUESTION OF SANITY

(By " Telegraph.—Press Association.) ~. • AUCKLAND, This Day. When the trial of John Hubert Edwar&s for alleged murder was resumed today two daughters of the deceased, Mrs. Cunningham, were recalled at the jury's request. One said that the accused had fixed ideas and somothnes seemed morbid. The other said she noticed nothing unusual about his conversation, but his manner at times was unusual for a visitor. :'. •' , Medical evidence was} then heard. Dr' T. G. Short said he.,,-wascon- vvince'd- that : the. -accused: was insane and probibly had .been. • insane-for' a lone time. Ho. would, .at times-have ; it violent tendency to suicide or homicide*. The accused, said'lie-did riot remember his act ■and;-,,bf;: course,': witness could not say if thatv.wasvtr.ue, but; he did not thinlc ihe accused'was malingering;. The witness 'Snorty cross-examined by the. . Crown Prosecutor,, said he knew several: people in Auckland suffering from the'sanie . mental;-disease as the-, accused,-biit Im&was; ;not.;proppsing to certify' any,rof;-- them: -as/.insane, . It might bo necessary sonic' day, '■ -.' To his' Honour: The accused when, he committed the act did not know what he was doing. The Crown Prosecutor: Was his action in woing to-the bathroom-and getting a razor to cut the woman's throat not compatible with knowledge that blows on the head might not cause death. Witness: Yes. " -.-■ , The Crown Prosecutor commented on the- fact that the accused wrote a note after attacking the .woman, but there was no sign of blood on tho writing pad, and said that the weapon used (which has never been found) must have been either washed by tho accused or secreted. "Isn't that compatible with knowledge that he knew what he had done 1" he asked. Witness: Yes, after the act, but not at the time. '