DROMORE TRAGEDY

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 September 1923, Page 5

DROMORE TRAGEDY

re ACCUSED’S ANTECEDENTS. m “A HUMAN WRECK.” f■r (Specia l to "Star.”) tCHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 20. n A reporter was informed that Jamieson, who is under arrest in connection with the Dromore outrage, was ? very cross yesterday afternoon, and had been moody at times during last & week. His brothers always regarded him as “weak,” and he had often 1 made threats. He always carried a r nail about with him, and with this t nail he used to clean his fingernails. Some twelve months ago when he } was at the farm he had a fit of tem--1 per and made threats against a sis- ' ter who was living in Ashburton. He was told that the police would be informed and that fact quietened him. The father of the accused is SO years of age, and he said that he was the father of fifteen children, nine of ■whom were alive. He was an old identity in the district. About three years ago he sold the farm but as the money was not forthcoming he was forced to take it back again. He had bought a home in Ashburton and the three sons carried on the farm, the sister keeping house for them. 1 The accused first showed signs of abnormality when he was quite ' young, after he had had his teeth extracted. “He was the same as you and me when he was right,” said tho father, “but when he had a fit of temper he had to be watched. If I had known that he wanted to go home so badly yesterday, I would have taken ( him. ” ‘ TBp fnthnr thnn flint, snmn *

Ine lamer men baici liicll home years ago his son was sent on an ’ errand about a mile and a half away from the farm. The people to whom ’ he was sent were not at home and accused wandered on to the road and walked on. That night he did not return and then his father saw in a newspaper that a man had been found wandering. The father then learned that his son had been taken to Sunnyside Mental Hospital. He was in Sunnyside for a month before he was returned to his home. “A human wreck,” was the description given by onlookers of accused as he was assisted into Court this afternoon by a constable. Jamieson awaited the opening of the proceedings apparently entirely ignorant of his position or surroundings. A bent and deformed figure, as incapable of steady and considerate movement as a tiny child, accused stirred pity in the hearts of the officials and reporters as he toyed with a green sprig in his twisted hands. He had not shaved for well over a week and his ill fitting and ragged clothes and clumsy footwear were very dilapidateed. When the proceedings had concluded, accused, whose nervous system is apparently undermined, was assisted from the room. As he shuffled and staggered along he gazed wonderingly about him. He was placed in a car and removed to the lock-up.