Man Who Thought He Murdered Woman Admits Assault

Grey River Argus, 14 October 1949, Page 7

Man Who Thought He Murdered Woman Admits Assault

AUCKLAND, October 13 A man with bloodstained hands, who called at the Ponsonby Police Station at 1.30 a.m. on October 7 and announced he had “just killed a woman in Point Erin Park,” heard her give evidence against him in the Police Court today. He was Lewis Henry Isaacs, aged 41, a stonemason, who was charged before Messrs. H. Cooper and G. F. Forsyth, J.’sP., with assaulting Reta Allen so as to cause her actual bodily harm. Senior Detective J. 13. Finlay prosecuted. The accused was not represented by counsel. The defendant pleaded guilty. Reta Allen said she was seperated from her husband. She had known Isaacs for about six months. She worked as a baker’s labourer at a pie factory at Freeman’s Bay. They met outside the Suffolk Hotel about 6.45 p.m. on October 6 and walked to Victoria Park together. They decided to get some beei - and so went to a house in Union Street where Isaacs got four bottles.” “We returned to the Park where the beer was consumed,” she said “Isaacs drank most of it. He then went to a hotel and bought four bottles of beer and a bottle of wine. Then we went by taxi to Point Erin Park at about 9.45 p.m. and sat down among the trees. Most of the wine and beer was consumed by the two of us.” Mrs. Allen said they were both still in the park at 0.30 a.m. “He then grabbed me by the throat and said he was going to kill me and throw me into the harbour,” witness said. “He tried to choke the life out of me. I was hit on the head by a bottle and lost consciousness.” Dr. J. A. Coombes, who examined Mrs. Allen when she was taken to the casualty department on October 7, said she was mildly shocked and rather talkative. There was drying blood on her face, neck and hands and she had a small but deep laceration in her neck. Marks on her neck could have been caused by the pressure of hands. The laceration was consistent with a cut from a broken bottle. Constable E. D. Morris said he was on duty w),’en Isaac called at the Ponsonby Police Station. His hands, sleeves, and shirt were covered with blood.

“The accused told me he had just killed a.woman in Point Erin Park and said he wanted to get hold of the detectives,” said the constable. “I telephoned the Central Police Station and whil e waiting for a police car the accused talked. He said “I’ve done her in. I strangled her. She can’t put it over on a serviceman. I don’t care if they hang me or put She put it across her own soldier me against a wall and shoot me. boy.” Theaccused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.