DUNEDIN SESSIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 97, 21 October 1935, Page 10

DUNEDIN SESSIONS

YOUTH OQI TRIAL,

ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) ,: ." . . DUNEDIN, This Day. '■In opening the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court Mr. Justice Kennedy saul the list was not light, including charges of attempted murder, demanding money by menace of blackmail,, forgery, and breaking and entering and theft. True bills were found in all cases. Walter Leslie Kedrfie, who pleaded guilty to breaking and entering/ at Waikouaiti, and Maurice James Hurring, charged with receiving, were Temarided for sentence. .The trial has commenced of John Haig, Roebuck, aged 17, on a charge of' attempting to murder Isabel Henderson at Tapui on August 11. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr. Adams, stated that ,the case would be based on whether the accused was at the time of the act suffering from such insanity as to entitle him to an acquittal, on that 'ground. : Outlining the facts, Mr. Adams stated that on August 10 the accused .finished work as usual on Henderson's farm. After being in his hut for some time the accused rose and obtained a /knife and entered the house. Hi •crept stealthily into the bedroom, poised the knife above Mrs. Henderson, who was in bed, and struck immediately. When she screamed he dashed back to his hut. Two statements were made by the accused. In the first he denied all.knowledge of the affair and in the second- he admitted his guilt.