GRAVE CHARGES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 148, 8 June 1932, Page 10

GRAVE CHARGES

WIFE’S ALLEGATIONS. THE JOHNSON INSURANCE CASE. Welington, Juno 17. Further evidence for the plaintiff 1 was heard in the Supreme Court in the case in which Mrs Elizabeth Ivy Johnson is claiming £5OO from the Australasian Temperance and General Mutual Life Assurance Society and £2OO front the Commercial Union Assurance Company. She alleges that her husband, John Randolph Johnson, after having deliberately caused her leg to be crushed by a tram at the Ohau railway crossing, obtained by means of forgery certain moneys under two accident insur. ance policies held by her. Walter Schierning, railway district traffic manager, produced a report front the engine-driver, James T. A. Jamieson ,now deceased, describing how th* train struck Johnson’s car on the crossing, stating that the car appeared to bo undamaged but that a lady passenger “who tried to climb out of the car” had her left leg badly crushed. John Doig, a guard on the train, deposed that after the accident he heard Mrs Johnson ask her husband: “Why didn’t you let me out?’’ He was un, able to say whether Johnson made a, reply. Evidence was also given by Detective T. Y. Hall, of Wellington, as to making inquiries into the alleged forgeries aspect of the case, and Francis Gordon Feudall, an officer of the Te Aro branch of the Bank of New Zealand, as to Mrs Johnson’s signature, held by the bank. The latter said that he had been shown certain insurance documents, receipts and cheques. Ho was of the opinion that the signature on them was not that of Mrs Johnson, At the conclusion of the plaintiff’s case respective counsel for the insur* ance companies asked for a non-suit on the grounds, inter alia, that thorti was no liability, as the occurrence wax not an accident provided for in th* cover; that it was unsafe to accept tha plaintiff’s evidence and that the hut, band was authorised to receive th* moneys paid. The hearing was adjourned till to, morrow.