HENDERSON TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17631, 18 November 1920, Page 8

HENDERSON TRAGEDY.

ACCUSED AGAIN REMANDED.

CONCLUSION OF INQUEST.

OPEN VERDICT RETURNED.

Frederick Spearpoint, who is charged with having murdered his mother, Nora!] Blanche Spearpoint, at Henderson on November 3. appeared before Mr. \V. 11. McKean, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday. He was again remanded for a week.

The adjourned inquest concerning the death of Mrs. Spearpoint, who died at the Auckland Hospital on November 9, was continued yesterday by Mr. J. YV. Poynton, S.M. Mr. J. W. C. Patterson appeared for deceased's son.

William Richard Lawrence, house surgeon at the Auckland Hospital, in his evidence, said deceased was admitted at 6 p.m. on November 3 in a collapsed state. She had a wound three inches long on the top of her head. A considerable part of tho skull was fractured and pressing on the brain, and part of the brain was lacerated. She was operated on and treated for her collapsed condition but never regained consciousness and died at 11.20 a.m. on November 9. The cause ot death was injuries to the brain. In reply to Chief-Detective McMahon, witness said it was quite possible the fracture of the skull could be inflicted with the half-axe produced— probably with the edge. Donald Norman Watson Murray, surgeon, stated that he made a post-mortem examination of deceased on November 11. The head showed a lacerated wound, three inches long and three-quarters of an inch wide. AfW giving details of the wound, witness said that death wsb due, in his opinion, to hemorrhage and laceration of the brain, fallowing on a compound fracture of the skull. To the chief-detective witness said the wound could possibly have been caused with the half-axe produced. He .thought probably with the back of it. Constable Douglas, stationed at Avondale, said that on November 3, in response to a telephone message, he called at deceased's residence, arriving at 11.20 a.m. Deceased was lying on a sofa. She had a wound, from which blood was oozing, on the top of her head. Witness found the half-axe (produced) in the bedroom. Ho found blood and hair adhering to the back of the head of the axe. There .were signs of a struggle having taken place in the room. Deceased was removed to the hospital as soon as possible. The coroner returned a verdict to the effect that deceased died "from injuries to the head caused by the half-axe produced, but no evidence had been given to show by whom the axe had been used.