THE WELLINGTON MURDER CASE.

Feilding Star, Volume I, Issue 271, 21 May 1907, Page 4

THE WELLINGTON MURDER CASE.

[peb pause ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, May 20. At the Supreme Court to-day the trial was commenced of Claude Paget, on a charge of murdering Eleanor Pearl Axup, at her home in Abel Smith street, on tho 12th February. Pa£et pleaded not guilty, and was defended by Mr T. M. Wilford. Mr Myers appeared for the Crown. The general circumstances of this case were fully published at the timo of its occurrence. The deceased girl was 17 years of age, and Paget had been on friendly terms for somo months, and they had been in tho habit of walking out together. He had asked her father for the girl in marriage, but had been refused on the ground of her tender years. On the evening of February llth Paget visited the house occupied by the girl's parents, being then, according to the mother, under the influence of drink. He said he was going away next day to San Francisco, and bade them good-bye. Early next morning, however, he visited the house again, and on the girl coming downstairs followed her into th© diningToom, and a mirute or two afterwords shots were heard, and on Mrs Axup rushing into the room she found the girl lying on the floor dead with a bullet wound in her neck, and the man unconscious. It was alleged that on the previous day prisoner had purchased a revolver and cartridges found in his possession at an ironmonger's in the city. _ The evidence of the girl's mother and the cook at the house was taken and the further hearing adjourned until to-morrow.