NEWTOWN TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9213, 16 November 1888, Page 5

NEWTOWN TRAGEDY.

ACQUITTAL OF THE PRISONER.

Sydney, November 15. The man Thompson, who on the 29th ult. stabbed his wife in the abdomen with a large butcher's knife, was to-day brought up on the charge of wilful murder. The defence set up was that the death of the woman was accidental, and after hearing evidence and the dying depositions of the woman, the prisoner was acquitted.

The dying deposition of the deceased was as follows :My name is Mary Thompson. I am the wife of William Thompson, the prisoner now present, and lived with him at No. 555, King-street, Newtown, till yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon. He is a butcher. After dinner yesterday, between three and four o'clock, as hear as I can say, my husband was suffering from the effects of drink. He had been drinking the night before. He is not responsible for his actions when he has been drinking. He was busy working, cleaning tripe. He wanted me to help him. I knew he wasn't himself the drink. I didn't go out. Then he said he would be quiet if I would go out and help him. I went out then. He commenced to swear at me as soon as I went out about the work. Then I said to him, "JJow, Will, if you are going to quarrel and swear about the work, I'm going in." Then my husband up with his hand, and hit me open-handed a smack on the side of my face. I ran up to him, and caught him by the collar, and asked him what he wanted to do that for ? I held him for about half a minute at the tub. I thought he would be quiet. He was standing against a big wooden tub and barrel as I held him. He then had a big butcher's knife. The knife produced was in hi 3 hand at thetime. Ithenfeltsomethingin mystomach. I at first thought it was that my stay-busk had broken in my straining to hold him, and that it had injured my stomach, I then screamed out "Oh !" I then put my hand on my clothes and felt a small portion of my entrails protruding. If I remember correctly the knife dropped out of his hand or off the tub. I said, " Oh, my God ! I've got a blow now !" Margaret M'Leod lives with us. She came when I called out as I slipped on to the ground. My husband immediately after the stabbing said to me, " Why didn't you come out and help me before I said, "because it was better for me to stop inside." After the occurrence my husband siid, "Oh, my God!" and he ran away for the doctor. He was the first off for the doctor. After he smacked my face I jammed him sideways against the tub. If he did it, I don't believe he did it intentionally. I was just as likely to run against the knife from the way I jammed him, as for him to strike me with the knife. The hand that held the knife was jammed in between the tub and the wall. The other hand was free. He has not often hit me, only when he gets the drink. A better husband never stepped in shoeleather. My husband did not struggle when I held him against the tub.