STABBING CASE

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 February 1942, Page 4

STABBING CASE

ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE AUCKLAND, February 9. The trial of William Weir, 20, a labourer, on a charge of attempting to murder his wife, Phyllis Rose Weir, at Otahuhu on January 14, was commenced before Mr. Justice Callan in the Supreme Court. Alternative charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and common assault were also preferred against the accused. Mr. G. S. R. Meredith appeared for the Crown, and Mr. K. C. Aekins represented the accused, who pleaded not guilty. Mr. Meredith said that accused and his wife were married in November last year. They had lived together for only three weeks. After a quarrel the wife left their boardinghouse in Otahuhu. On January 14 the accused went to the house where his wife was livirtg. She agreed to meet him that night at 7 o’clock, and when she refused to go with the accused into the Otahuhu school grounds he took a knife and stabbed her in the chest. Dr. Guthrie said that Mrs. Weir was admitted to hospital with a serious wound in the chest. She was in danger of losing ner life until the bleeding was stopped. She was in hospital for about 10 days. The wound penetrated three inches and possibly four inches.

Phyllis Rose Weir said that she was 26 years of age. “Our married life was not a happy one,” stated the witness. About 5 p.m. on January 14 my husband came to my house and asked me to meet him in the school grounds, as he had an important letter to show me. I agreed to meet him at the school gates at 7 p.m. When I met him I refused to go into the grounds and asked him to show me the letter there. He pulled out a knife and stabbed me.” The witness said that the accused half carried her to the other side of the road. “The knife was still in me and he pulled it out and threw it among some trees.” she added.

Cross-examined by Mr. Aekins, the witness said that in 1937 she was married to Harry Sterling. She lived for three years with him. Sterling had committed bigamy and was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. He came out of gaol in March. 1940. It was untrue that she lived with him after he came out. The witness added that she had known Weir for about 12 months before she married him. The accused, in evidence, said that he knew his wife had been married before. He had been going with her for about six months before Sterling was released from gaol. His wife and he had split when he went to her parents’ home one night and found Sterling there. The break lasted for about a month, and after a scene at her home his wife said that she would continue with the witness again. That was about a month before they were married. The hearing was adjourned.