Woman He Killed Gave Evidence Against Him

Northern Advocate, 13 October 1949, Page 6

Woman He Killed Gave Evidence Against Him

AUCKLAND, Thu. (P.A.)—A man with bloodstained hands who called at the Ponsonb.y Police Station at 1.30 a.m. on October 7 and announced that 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, 41, stonemason, charged before Messrs 11. Cooper and G. F. Forsyth, J.P.s, with assaulting Reta Allen so as to cause her actual bodily harm. Senior Detective J. B. Finlay prosecuted. The accused was not represented by counsel.

Defendant pleaded guilty. Reta Allen said she was separated from her husband. She had known Isaacs for about six months. She worked as a bakers labourer at a pie factory in Freeman’s Bay. OBTAINED BEER -They met outside the Suffolk Hotel at about 6.45 p.m. on October 6 and walked to Victoria Park together. They decided to get some beer, so went to a house in Union Street, where Isaacs got four bottles. "We returned to the park, where the beer was consumed,” witness said. i “Isaacs drank most of it. He then went to the hotel and bought four bottles of beer and a bottle of wine. "Then we went in a taxi to Point Erin Park at about 9.45 p.m. and sat down among the tfyees. “Most of the wine and beer wais consumed by the two of us.” “GRABBED BY THROAT” Mrs Alien said they were both still in the park at 12.30 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. Z. Coombes, who examined Mrs Alien 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.

The marks on her neck could have been caused by the pressure of hands.

The laceration was consistent with a cut from a broken bottle. COVERED IN BLOOD Constable E. D. Morris said he was on duty when Isaacs called at the Ponsonby police station. His hands, sleeves and shirt were covered with blood.

“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, while waiting for a police car, accused talked. "He said: ‘l’ve done her in. I strangled her. “ ‘She can’t put it over a serviceman.

“ ‘I don’t care if they hang me or put me against a wall and shoot me.’ ” Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.