A HUNTERVILLE SENSATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11058, 9 May 1899, Page 5

A HUNTERVILLE SENSATION.

' [by TELEGRAPH.—PItESS ASSOCIATION.] Wanganui, Monday. JOSEPH Monteith was remanded this morning for eight days on a charge of having attempted to murder his (rife at Hunterville on April 30. The police stated that the unfortunate woman was not expected to recover. Accused said he had no knowledge of committing the crime, and that he had suffered for nine years from a disease in the, head. He desired to bo sent to an asjlum. It appears that Mrs. Monteith was engaged cooking, when her husband is alleged to have attacked he. with a slasher. There are nine wounds on the head, apparently caused by the weapon. The injured woman has several cuts on the hands, which, appal ently, resulted from her attempting to save herself by grasping the slasher. It is also alleged that Monteith went to the house of a neighbouring settler, from which he took a dojble-barrelled gun. While his wife was lying on tho ground ho discharged the weapon, 'which was loaded with shot close to his wife's head. The shot tor? off a portion of the hair, but did not penetrate the skull. Monteith, in his frenzy then struck his wife on the head with the muzzle of the gun, the marks of the two barrels being plainly visible on the scalp. About this time a son of the accused arrived, and took the gun from bis father, flho, it is stated, pointed the weapon at him. The young man acted very pliiekily, though it was found on examination that the gun was not loaded. The accused, who is 45 years of age, had frequently complained that then was something' wrong with his head, and expressed fear that he would do some harm to himself.