Tragic Story At Double Murder Trial

Northern Advocate, 25 January 1939, Page 5

Tragic Story At Double Murder Trial

IPcr Press Association. Copyright.l NELSON, This Day. The hearing of a double murder charge against Arthur Frederick Kerr, aged 55, was continued in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon, Kerr was charged' with the murder of Laura May Kerr, his wife and Roy Robert Kerr, his son, at Uruwhenua on December 16. Ila Catherine Nita Kerr, a daughter of the accused, said that at home were living her father, mother, herself and her brother Max, and a younger brother Robert, commonly called “Jack.” The home was quite cheerful and a happy one. On December 15, witness said, they were all at home and the ordinary farm Work had been going on. Her mother, father and Jack helped in the milking. This was finished soon after 7 o’clock and her father then seemed in his usual spirits. He was always in good spirits. Witness retired about 8 o’clock, and the first thing she heard was the noise of a gun exploding. The 'noise appeared to come from Jack’s room. Following that she heard someone calling out, and she thought it was her father. It sounded unusual, but she could not hear what he was saying. She jumped out of bed and ran to the kitchen and back door. There was a porch, at . the back door ans; when she reached the ; ehd .of the porch she saw her father coming from | the direction of the porch where Jack' was. i

He had a gun in his hand. The gun was Max’s gun and was usually kept in the hut He was waving his arms about arid calling out. At this stage, at his counsel’s request accused was taken to the back of the court. Took Gan From Him. 'f> / ■/Ar- '• : *■. Continuing her evidence Miss Kerr said her father looked terrible. He saw her, but she did not think he recognised her. He quietened down on seeing her, and stopped a few yards away. “I rushed straight to him, grabbed the gun and said, ‘Give it here, ? ” said witness.

“Ho hung on to It but I pulled it .away from him and I had to pull fairly hard to-get. it away from him.” She then called to her brother Max, whose huT Was only a short distance away. She did not know whether the or hot. She' rushed straight into the kitchen, and thought she put the gUrt On the table. While she was doing this her father was still in the yard and she thought he was still yelling out, and she turned round and saw that her brother had nearly got to her father. She ran to her mother’s room. Her mother was in bed lying still, the blind being down. She could not see very well. She could see her mother’s face. ,

Witness said she called her mother, but got no answer. She was lying on her back. She then went straight out of the room and got a coat. When she got to the back door her father .and Max werd Still iji the back yard. Max' was holding his father, who was still waving his arms about. He was still calling out but she did not know what he was saying. Swung a Tomahawk. Max James Arthur Kerr, aged 19, a son of accused, said that the .22 calibre rifle produced belonged to him. The first thing he heard on the morning of December 16 was his father calling out about 4.30 o’clock. His father w.ai% yelling and waving his arms about and witness saw his sister running his father. When he. reached his .father his sister had run iiKSde. Witness caught hold of his father who seized a tomahawk nearby, iswinging it at witness. The police were telephoned for and, while waiting for the!n to arrive, his lather wanted to know where Jack was. Accused did not say anything, which showed he knew what had happened. A lot his father said was unintelligible, just yelling.

Happy Family. j I Ronald Hope Simpson, a farmer, of j Uruwhenua, a neighbour of the Kerr’s j for 12 months, said that the family all j got on well together. Kerr seemed to j be in good health, but complained on! occasions of being dizzy when he stooped. When witness reached Kerr’s house Kerr was yelling and later kept calling Jack. He did not appear to recognise witness. Another neighbour, Robert Alan Scott, said that the conditions in the j home were excellent. The night be- I fore the tragedy Kerr had seemed quite cheerful. \ He found Kerr and Max at tpc back | of the house when ho was called the following morning. Kerr was waving his arms and yelling. He mentioned Jack now and again and seemed to be worried about him. Kerr said: “You know I love my little boy.” He once turned to the door and said “Mother come on out." Apart from the statements referred to said nothing intelligible. Constable Strawbridge said that accused was charged on December 17 with the murder of his wife but lie did not appear to understand. Doctor's Evidence, Evidence was given by Dr. E. C. Bydder that when lie saw Kerr at his ’ house on t December 16 ho found him

very maniacal, violent and delusional. Witness examined Kerr again in the evening and found him not so violent but mentally as bad as he had been in the morning. Mr. C. R. Fell, who was in charge of the prosecution said that, in fairness to the accused as the evidence would bo published, and would go probably before the jurors, he wanted to point out that it was not in the province of the court to go into the mental condition of the accused. Kerr was committed for trial to the Supremo Court at Nelson. Two English motorists. Messrs. H. Symons and H. Browning, arrived at Capetown to-day after driving 10.290 miles from London in 32 days. They crossed the Sahara. 226 G miles in 3 days 4 hours.