THE WAITARA MURDER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8828, 20 March 1909, Page 5

THE WAITARA MURDER.

(Per Peess Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, March 20. Th© third day of the Goode murder trial was occupied with the evidence for the defence, Mr Skerrett, K.C. occupying 55 minutes in opening for the defence. He proposed to call evidence to prove that accused was the victim of mental degeneracy, caused by excessive alcoholism, that h© was in fact the victim of chronic alcoholism and insanity, and that his mind was a perfect blank as to th© crime. He remembered nothing from noon of the day previous to the crime till his arrest. Accused s conduct on the whole was inexplicable, unless on the assumption that the man was hopelessly mad he was quit© incapable of judging his acts. A number of witnesses were called to prove that Good© was a man of spasmodic intemperate habits, and had delusions that he was being persecuted. Dr Beattie, superintendent of the Auckland Mental Hospital for the past twelvfi years, examined accused ■ on the 9th February, and found his whole intelligence impaired. He concluded that the man was undoubtedly insane. He was suffering from chronic alcoholic insanity. NEW PLYMOUTH, March 20. This morning, Sergt. Beattie, now of Taihape, formerly stationed at Waitara, corroborated the other evidence as to Dr. Goode's insobriety and suspicious nature. . James McLeod, journalist, gave evidence to a similar effect. This closed the evidence for th© defen Thc Crown called Dr. Truby King, who gave it as his opinion that when Goode killed Mrs Klenner h© was mentaly and legally insane and had no knowledge which enabled him to make a rational choice. In reply to Mr Skerrett, Dr. King said h© had no doubt that Goode at the tima of the commission of the crime was quite incapable of calmly or rationally considering th© reasons which affected th© Tightness or wrongness of his act. .