THE RUAHINE MURDER

Grey River Argus, 15 February 1915, Page 7

THE RUAHINE MURDER

STATEMENT BY ACCUSED.

BY TELEGRAPH — PER PRESS ASSOCIATION

WANGANUI, Feb. 12. A letter from Mr. James, missioner of the Sailors Friendly Mission, Wellington, was read, stating that Rottman bore an excellent character. Captain Bollons, of the Hinemoa, wrote that when Rottman was on the Hinemoa he was of a most kindly disposition not at all quarrelsome, a steady hard worker and apparently on good terms with the crew. The accused man went into the witness box at this stage and in halting En glisli made the following statement: I will be twenty-one years of age on April 4th next. I was born on the upper Rhine in Germany. My father was an assistant railway manager. Was educated for two yeurs at Dusseldorf, and nine years at another school, which had a university connected with it. I was prepared for a career on the land, but at the age of seventeen years went lo sea on a training ship, transferring at Liverpool to an English ship. On arriving in New Zealand waters 1 joined the Hinemoa and stayed there for eight months until war broke out. Captain Bollons wanted to keep me. The police did not object, but the Marine Department made me leave. When I went ashore I wanted the authorities to send me to Somes Island but they induced me to go to the Labour Bureau, and that is how 1 came to get the billet at Ru..hine. M\ father used to drint he C;>n Kmicd and my mother has t\v:c-i i>een in an J'Syi 1 m. One of my brothers died of brain '''»• tr, and my sister suffered fri.in hyit'. lia. -My pa -As told me that when I was ;• little boy I fell Jown some stairs. I was also bun. when coming out to New Zealand. When furling the top gallant sails with threeother A.B.s two of them went overboard, and I was slung against the rigging and hurt. Later I was shipwrecked on the Australian coast. Proceeding witness said that he arrived at Ruahine on August 15th. He got on well with the McCann family and did not have any quarrels. On Boxing Day he went with Neil (a previous witness,) to Rangiwahia, had a drink before dinner and then had more at 3. 30 p.m. He suggested to Neil that they should start for home. Mr M.iclc.-iy:. What sort of state were you in then? Not too good. You had too much drink 1 ? Yes Continuing 'witness said that he then had sarspanlln and lemonade, and got two bottles of beer and some sandwiches to take home. He was on his lu'ise but fell oiT twice. Neil would not go home. Just then witness said that it was not fair as he had treated him so well. They had two more glasses of boor brought out to them. Witness said it would be very late by the time they got the cows in and probably he would get the "Sack". If that happened he would not know where to get a job. Neil offered to give witness :.i job falling some bush. They st:iyod and had tea. When witness got home after mid-night he found the door and his window locked. He stayed outside until McCann came out about 4 a.m McCann said: "You are back very early. I did not. expect, you until 7 o'clock. I was wild last night. I waited till 5. 30. p.m. before I got the cows in. MeCami then gave witness a whisky and said that witness could go and sleep. Witness did not do so and they did the milking to gether. After breakfast witness went down to the fac tory. 'When he got home they talked about sheep and McCann said that he w«.s going to fleece at Sweet's place on the Monday. Witness and McCann did milking that afternoon and a homely evening was doci-lcd upon. They were talking and singing and drinking until 1. a.m. next morning then Mrs McCann towk her husband to bed. The witness went to It is room and had some more beer. Just before daylight McCann came to witness's bedroom, and said that, he (witness) had kicked up such a noise that the family could hardly get any sleep. Then they went to the cowshed to make an early start. Continuing his evidence Rottman said that he went for the cows and when he returned McCann had an axe in his hind fastening a board. Witness took hold of the axe and swung it around and struck a post. He did not remember anything more until he found himself lying on the ground outside. He : viiiioiT himself together went to the house, and had some more whisky. He v^xt remembered finding himself on the floor between Mrs McCanns bedroom and the spare bedroom. Looking into Mrs. MeCanii's bedroom he saw a great deal of blood. At the same time he felt a great shock and seemed to get sober. Witness then closed both doors and went into his own room. He tried to think where Mr MeCann hnd -got to. and consequently started for the cowshed. On the A\ay witness stepped on something hard and found it was the axe with blood on it. He stood still for a moment and listened. After he had seen what had been done at the house he felt sure the same thing had happened down below, (mean ing in the cowshed.) Witness felt that nobody but himself could have committed the crime. Witness took the milk to the factory and retiirned~~and attended to some of the animals and then made .preparations to leave the place. When he reached Mangaweka he had about £S. This money he had saved apart from £1 which Mr McCann had given him. Mr Mackay accused (Rottman 's) counsel: Did you have any grudge against the McCann family? JSTone at all. / To the Crown prosecutor: He did not remember saying to Neil that he (Rottman) would give McCann a bit of his n'ind. .-.■■. Hie Honour: You did not tell tlve 1 constable that you struck McCanir? No Mr Mackay: Do you believe th:it when swinging tliv! axe round your head

Mr Marshall: You say that in the face of the Doctor's evidence of six blows? No answer You cannot explain? No. The only thing I remember is the axe going against the post. Why should that stupefy you? I don't know. It was like a dream. Under severe cross-examination accused for the first time began to show traces of excitement. He maintained tkat a lot of the police evidence was untrue. Dr. Gray Hessell, Medical Superintendent of Porirua Mental Hospital said that he had had. a wide experience of mental cases. He examined Rottman* and questioned him on his family history. That history was not good from a mental point of view. To Mr Mackay: The deaths would suggest acute homicidal frenzy. Are the fits short or long? Acute homicidal impulses are short. Would homicidal impulse be irritated by the sight of an axe? r ,Yes,Dr. Hassell said. That mania apotu came on suddenly, and a man whose head had been injured would be liable to an attack. Counsel for Rottman: Now taking all the facts of this case into consideration, do you thin kthat the acts are consistent with the work of an insane man? Dr. Hassell: I think the acts are consistent with insanity. To Mr Marshall: He did not have any opportunity of verifying the statements made to him by Rottman. Mr. Marshall: They might be untrue? Yes. Do you consider Mr Beattie an author ity? Yes To the Jury: A man co\ild have two attacks of mania apotu in three hours. Two local Doctors Earle and Wilson expressed the opinion that the murderer's acts were consistent with mania apotu (mad drunk). This closed the case for the defence and the court adjourned till next morning.