ATTACK IN FRENZY

Evening Star, Issue 20864, 6 August 1931, Page 7

ATTACK IN FRENZY

—■ ~ ' ' DEFENCE IN MURDER TRIAL [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, August 5. The hearing of evidence in the defence of George llameka, who is on trial on a charge of murdering Mrs Gwendoline Johnson, was continued today. Accused, continuing his evidence on his intention to commie -suicide when deceased broke off her friendship, and his purchase of poison, said that next morning he bought a knife because he thought the poison might not be enough to take his life. He intended to take the poison in Mrs Johnson s presence, to prove to her that lie was game enough to commit suicide. He drank some poison before be opened the door of her room. His throat and stomach were burning. Then, speaking in good English, the accused said; “She looked at me and said to mo, ‘ What do you want here, you black nigger?’ At that instant I did not know what I was doing. I just simply went oil my head. That is all. Examined by Mr -Meredith (Crown Prosecutor), the accused said that alter ho first mot Mrs Johnson lie used to see her every night. He did not know how strong the poison was nor how many people the contents of the bottle lie bought would kill. Ho thought of the knife after he had reached home on the night before tho tragedy. H the poison was not sufficient, he intended to stab himself with the knife in tho taxicab. Ho drank part of the poison at Mrs Kocsing’s, outside Mrs Johnson’s door, fully intending to drink tho rest after ho had had it out with her. Mrs Johnson was awake when he went into her room, and she spoke first. Ho did not remember seeing the knife after lie had put it in his pocket at tho door. He did not remember driving back to Hepburn street or the other incidents which the witnesses had sworn to. Ho did not remember anything from the time lie was at Mrs Johnson’s door till ho was in hospital. Dr 11. M. Beattie, who for twentynin'o years was in charge of the Auckland Mental Hospital, said he had formed the conclusion that there was a probability of a minor epileptic condition in the accused. Witness bad gained the impression that there was a certain amount of mental instability. He found -Maoris, as a rule, emotional and intensely sensitive. I regard this man as of unstable mental condition,” continued witness.. “ For years ho has been suffering from strange sensations in his head, with attacks of giddiness and disturbance of bis eyes. The man had been suffering from abnormal depression, and was actively suicidal when ho went into the room where the deceased was. The depression became intense, and he was suffering from a. burning pain in the month, throat, and stomach from the poison he had taken. He was called by a name that all, Maoris resent, and ho got into an irresponsible maniacal condition. If he was in such a maniacal state ho could not know the nature and the quality of his act.” This closed tho case for the defence. Tho- Crown then called Dr H. M. Buchanan, superintendent of tho Auckland Mental Hospital, who said that llameka had not given him any symptoms of loss of.memory or giddiness. In his opinion, there was no justification for tho theory that the accused was epileptic. He did not think llameka. had the loss of memory at tho time of tho tragedy lie claimed to have. In witness’s opinion the act in the bedroom was a conscious act. Corroborative evidence was given by other mental experts. Tho evidence was concluded to-night, and the case will be finished to-morrow.