THE WELLINGTON MURDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13493, 21 May 1907, Page 6

THE WELLINGTON MURDER.

TRIAL OF" PAGET BEGUN.

[by, telegraph. —PRESS association'.]

Wellington, Monday. Tub trial of Claude Paget, charged with the murder of Eleanor Pearl Axup on February 12, was commenced to-day before Mr. Justice Cooper. Paget pleaded not guilty, and was defended by Mr. T. M. Wilford. Mr. M. Myers appeared for the Crown. The general circumstances of this case were fully published at the time of its occurrence. ■ The deceased girl was 17 years of age, and Paget and she had. been on friendly terms for some months, and had been in the habit of walkjng out together. He had asked her father for the girl in marriage, but had been refused on the ground of her tender years. ;On the evening pi February 11 Paget visited the house occupied by the girl's parents, being then, according to the mother, under- the influence of drink. He said he was going away next day to San Francisco, and bade them good-bye. Early next morning, however, he visited the house again,- and on the girl coming downstairs followed her into the diningroom, and a minute or two afterwards shots were heard, and on Mrs. Ax up rushing into the room she'found the girl lying on the floor dead, with a bullet wound in the neck, and the man unconscious. It was alleged that on the previous day the prisoner had purchased revolver and cartridges found in his possession at an ironmonger's in the, city. . The evidence of the girl's mother and the cook at the house was taken to-day, and the further hearing was adjourned until to-morrow. !