THE WAITARA TRAGEDY.

Mataura Ensign, 22 March 1909, Page 4

THE WAITARA TRAGEDY.

(•iNUING OT INSANITY. eric umtuo riti-.ss association. .MOW I'KV-MOUTII, .March 2U, .1 he trial of .Dr. Goode for the murder of -Mrs Klenner at Waitara came lo an abrupt termination shortly after noon. After what was intended to be rebutting expert evidence, called by- the Crown, had been given by [ir. Truby King, Superintendent of the Seaclin .Mental Hospital, His Honor aud the Crown l'rosecutor at once admitted that it was no use to go any lurther, as it was a perfectly hopeless to ask the jury to convict accused of wilful murder. His Honor added that no one now thought of doing .-jo. Dr. Frederick Truby King, called by the Crown l'rosecutor, said that after long and careful consideration, he had come lo the conclusion that at Hie lime accused committed the act he was mentally and legally insane. In witness' opinion accused at, Hie time had not the knowledge wiilich enabled him to make a rational choice. Witness quoted authorities lo show that it was possible that any knowledge accused had at the lime was only such knowledge as Dial ol a dream stale. Al great length Dr. king detailed the symptoms showing that Goode was sut'sanilv, but from complete insanity. Accused was suffering from a rare and complicated form of insanity, known as alcoholic paranoia. Witness dealt with the case as if it. were not alcoholic paranoia, bid simple paranoia, and described the disease al length. .uiotiier patient sinlering from a different and simplex form of paranoia was .Lionel Terry. Dr. King quoted at length from textbooks cases in which subjects suffered from paranoia. The circumstances in the cases quoted by Dr. king were so like the circumstances in tlie present case as lold in evidence and reported in the I'ress, that witness had some diliiculty in remembering, he said, that he .was reading from the text-book and not irom the newspapers. In answer lo a series of questions from His Honor witness said that accused was absolutely irresponsible/ in reply to His Honor, Dr. King

said he was absolutely satisfied that, when he shot Airs Klenuer Goode did not possess the power of forming his own iatioiui|l judgment unbiased by mental disease as lo the true nature and (pialily of his act. The Crown I'roscciilor was pro ceediug lo call Dr. Gray llassell, siipet-inieudenl of the. i'orirua Menial Hospital, when His Honor asked him if he fell jiistilied in proceeding further.

.Wither counsel addressed the jur.v , aud the Judge ma.de no summing up. He submitted the following questions lo the .iury:—(l, Whether accused was a. lunatic at the lime of the commission of Ihe crime; (2) whether, if Hie jury acquitted accused, such acqntttal was on ihe ground that, accused was insane.

The jury almost immediately re plied in' the allirnialive to both ques

His lloiior'liieii ordered thai accused be. kept, ill strict custody in ihe .New !'l> mouth gaol until the .Minister's pleasure be known. Ilis Honor had previously assured the jury thai, the verdict, ensured detention, and the. jury adfled a. rider, which th,. Judge endorsed, that the means of arrest employed hy Constables Mclvor and I'rice probably pievenled a. further tragedy.