WELLINGTON MURDER

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 November 1933, Page 2

WELLINGTON MURDER

ACCUSED’S TRIAL OPENED.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, November 13. The trial opened, to-day, before the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers), of George Edward James, charged with murdering Mrs Cecilia Smith. In a quiet voice, James pleaded not guilty. All witnesses were ordered out ot Couft. Accused is alleged to have murdered Mrs Smith about 7.30 a - n ]- on Friday, June 30, at the flat which he-occupied with her and her little son, in Ohiro Road, Wellington. Mr

Macassey presented the case for the Crown, on lines similar to that in the lower Court. Mr. Macassey said it was clear tnac Mrs. Smith’s injuries could not have been self-inflicted. He suggested that the evidence poitned to nobody else but accused as the murderer. Refeiring to the finding of the body of Mrs. Smith’s son on the seashore, the prosecutor said that the medical evidence would show that blows on his head were received before he was drowned, and he suggested that the reason the boy was got rid of was that he would have been a living witness against aC» cused. As to motive, it was suggest ed that accused had arranged to marry Mrs. Smith, and had led her to believe that he had property. In view of letters found showing that J an ]® s had nothing coming to him, Mrs Smith must have known that he had not the means to marry her. Th j lt ’ 11 ™ as suggested, probably caused her to decide to part with him, and as a res^ t he determined to murder her, and commit suicide himself. The hearing is proceeding.