STRUGGLE IN BEDROOM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17649, 9 December 1920, Page 8

STRUGGLE IN BEDROOM.

THROATS CUT WITH RAZOR.

ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE

HUSBAND SENT FOR TRIAL. [nr TELEGRATH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WANGANTJI. Wednesday. At the Police Court this morning Stephen Harris was charged with attempted suicide on October 31, and also with attempting to murder his wife, Lucib Harris. Dr. Willis stated that on October 31 last he was called about 7 a.m. to the residence of the accused in Victoria Avenue. He found Mrs. Harris lying in bed with a wound in her throat. The incision was about hail an inch deep at I the deepest part. There was also another wound on the left side of the forehead, -about"*" two inches aong and reaching to ! the bone. There was another smaller wound in the throat just above the larger one, and numerous small cute on the fingers. Mrs. Hams was suffering severely from shock. Lucie F. E. Harris, wife of the accused, said she had been married, nearly four years. On Saturday afternoon, October 30, witness and her sister had three "small beers" at the Masonic Hotel. Her husband had three large glasses of beer. They then returned home, arriving shortly after 5 p.m. The accused went out again a few minutes later against the wish of witness. The accused said ho was ryoing to the hotel. He returned about six o'clock, and was then the worse for liquor. The accused had a bottle of beer with him, and all hands in the house had a small glass of beer just before tea. After tea they had a game of cards until about nine o'clock, when they retired.

"Nagging" and Its Sequel.

j The accused started " nagging "in the bedroom. He was always in the habit of " nagging" while in that condition. Witness then detailed the nature of the argument that ensued, and eventually the accused worked himself into a worse temper and went to sleep in another room. Witness saw nothing more of him that night. On Sunday morning, at about half-past eix ; accused came into her bedroom, where witness was reading. He came to the side of the bed where witness was lying. He asked witness whether j she was going to kiss him " good morning." He leaned over to kiss her, and witness noticed a very strong smell of drink, and replied :. " No, I will not do so." She went on reading. The accused repeated his request for a " good morning kiss," and witness replied, " No." Nothing further was said. The next thing -witness was conscious of was receiving a heavy blow on the left side of the head. Her left eye became closed, and with blood in the other eye, she could not see what was being done. She rolled over and .screamed. She thought her husband was trying to close her mouth, because she was screaming. She struggled and tried to get away, but could not, as the accused was holding her down, so that she could not move. She felt a stinging sensation justclose to her left ear, before her father came into the room. Her father protected her against further attack, and witness did not remember what happened after that. Father Hears Screams. Albert George Whibley, father of the Ereyious witness, said his daughter and er husband had been residing ,with witness. On October 31, he got up about 6 a.m., and went out to the garden to get some wood. While there he heard screaming. The- accused was up before witness went outside. On rushing > back to the house, witness found the accused forcing Mrs. . Harris' : head back and cutting at her throat with his right hand. Witness jumped on to the bed and Harris i fell over the other side. ; He then said, " If you don't let me finish it'l'll do the same to you." Accused .theri made an attempt to put the razor ,to his own throat. Constable ' Steer, • gave . evidence regarding finding the accused with his throat but. He also found a razor lying in a pool of blood." After a considerable amount of other evidence the accused was committed for trial. ; The Accused's Injuries. The charge of attempted suicide was then proceeded with. Dr. Williams stated that when he attended: the accused the latter had a large gaping wound in the throat, including' a partiahy severed windpipe. " Ethel Mary Whibley stated that when the accused passed her" in the passage he drew a razor across his throat and said,' " Now I will go and do myself in." Constable Steer said he picked up a Small mirror near the pool of blood and razor in the room where he found the accused. -""

The accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed _ to the Supreme Court for trial on this charge also.