SERIOUS CHARGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 60, 8 September 1937, Page 8

SERIOUS CHARGE

ATTEMPTED MURDER

ALLEGED

EVIDENCE OF WIFE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

WANGANUI, This Day.

Kenneth St. Albans Hodgson appeared in the Raetihi Magistrate's Court yesterday charged with the attempted murder of his wife on August 25, at Raetihi. He pleaded not guilty and was committed for trial at the Supreme Court at Wanganui.

Messrs. Nation and Fagg, J.P.s, were on the bench. The police case was conducted by Detective J. K. Robertson, of Wanganui. The accused was represented by Mr. L. N. Ritchie.

Mrs. Rheta Louisa Hodgson gave evidence that she married the accused in Christchurch, in 1930. There was one child of the marriage, a girl of five years. Since last Christmas they had been living at Raetihi. In the premises where they lived there were two other rooms occupied, in one of which lived two men, Healey and Parker, and in i the other a man'who had been on holiday for some time. On Saturday. August' 21, the accused returned home at about 10.30 p.m.' Witness was" annoyed at his staying-out late and drinking, and told him so. ■ The accused went out again, returning about 12.30 a.m. Witness was in bed when he returned, and as she objected to sleeping with him she immediately arose and went to the next room, where a visiting radio serviceman named Townsend wjas sleeping. Witness asked Townsend to sleep with her husband and -he immediately left the room "to join the accused. Witness then lay down 'on the couch vacated by Townsend and had remained there for the rest of the night. The accused slept with Townsend that night. On Sunday, August-.22, the accused was in the house until about 11 a.m., when he departed alone for the Chateau. There had been no previous arrangements for this- day. Witness played tennis in the afternoon. In theevening she went to the pictures with a party of friends wfio returned with her to the flat, where they stayed till, midnight. .Witness sat up by the fire throughout the night waiting the return of the accused.- Townsend sat with her until about 5 a.m., when he lay on the bed in the same room. Witness washed and changed about 6 a.m., and remained on the premises until breakfast time. The accused came intb the tearooms where she was having breakfast. Nothing was said then, but in. the course of the day the accused asked where she had slept. She told him that she had sat up all -night. In the evening the accused asked if wit- | ness intended to stick to what she had isaid about not sleeping with him, and she said yes. unless he apologised, j There'was ho alternative suggested. EVIDENCE ABOUT GUN. i ;■ On; the same night, as she was almost | undressed,, the accused camp, into the bedroom and insisted on asking questions about the previous night. Being very much upset.-by this,, witness j called on Townsend to tell the accused where she .had slept. A .fight'ensued between the accused and Townsend, and Parker separated them. On the day. of the alleged attempt, the accused, following a conversation, said, "1, will do something, you will be sorry for for the. rest of ycur life."; He .then went out and' came back, andi on booking -up, 'witness.."noticed '. that he was pointing-a gun.at.rier. When .'asked What helSvas: going to do he replied that he was going to shoot. 'Witness pleaded with him not.to shoot,-and:he said, "If f' don't shoot you now, will you help me to hush this up?" Witness replied that she would do anything, and then asked what he meant by now. The accused replied, "Plenty of time later." The accused let her have, the gun, but took it back, saying that he was going to shoot now. As witness thought there would be only one cartridge in the breech, she put -her hand on the gun to endeavour to fire this, and so avert the danger. She put her finger on-the'trigger and pressed,' the gun discharging harmlessly. Witness then took the gun and threw it from J the window. At this time she had no recollection of the accused doing or saying anything, but he seemed dazed after the shot. There had not be_en much of a-struggle between them.

■ Evidence t was ..given by Vivian Charles Townsend as to hearing an argument between the accused and his wife.'-'

Cross-examined, witness said that he usuaily did; not interfere in domestic troubles.' but had done so' on this occasion. Mrs. Hodgson was Nothing to witness, but occasionally he had called her by her Christian name.