ACQUITTED OF MURDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19254, 17 February 1926, Page 12

ACQUITTED OF MURDER.

MOTHER'S SAD POSITION. DEATH OF BABY DAUGHTER. ILL-HEALTH AND INSANITY. [ay TKL2ORAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] NEW PLYMOUTH. Tuesday. In ilia Supreme Court (his morning before! Mr. Justice Reed the (rial was held of Mrs. Gladys Maud Hobday, of Manair., on the charge of murdering her infant child Joyce, on or about January 29, 1925. Mr. Weston, in outlining the case, said Mrs. Hobday lived with, her husband and family at Manaia. They had three children, and a maid, Miss Hawke, lived with them. In May, 1924, another baby girl was born. Mrs. Hobday was a nervous woman. She nursed the baby until about the end of tho year when she had a nervous breakdown. On November 2 she went with her children and Mrs. Crawford Watson for a picnic to the Kaupokonui River. During the day they crossed the river by means of a small swing bridge. Mrs. Hobday complained of feeling dazed on crossing the bridge and on the return across the bridge Mrs. Hobday apparently fainted and her baby fell into the. water. - She screamed and a man named Canty, who was handy at the time- rescued the baby. Something Preying on Mind. Mrs. Hobday was much upset and became worse in health but it was difficult to say whether this was due to her nervous condition or. to the incident of the baby falling into the water. At all events something seemed to prey upon her mind. On the morning of January 29 Miss Hawke got up at her usual time-and a little later remarked to Mr. Hobday that tho household was late in rising its Mrs. Hobday had not appeared. At this time, in consequence of Mrs. Hobday's health, she and her husband had been occupying different rooms. It was found thaE Mrs. Hobday and the baby were not in their room and a search resulted in Mrs. Hobday being found sitting near a tree in tho garden and close by was a bath of water in which was the body of the child. Mrs. Hobday received medical attention and was subsequently sent away to a mental hospital, where she had been ever since. This accounted for the trial being so long delayed. She had only juist recovered sufficiently to allow the trial to go on. Medical Evidence. Dr. Harold E. Jeffries, superintendent of tho Nelson Mental Hospital, said he was superintendent at Porirua when Mrs. Hobday was admitted. She was then in a very low state of health. He had had some conversation with her and found that she had no recollection of what had happened. She seemed to have a hazy idea that everything was not all right. Following an earthquake in March she seemed to come back to a full recollection of what had happened and her state 1 then was most pitiable. Witness said there was no doubt in his mind that Mrs. Hobday was insane at the time of this occurrence. Further medical, evidence was given. Happy Domestic Life. The Rev. A. C. Swainson, vicar ot Manaia, deposed to the happy domestic home life of the Hobdays and the high esteem in which Mrs. Hobday was held in the community.

Mr. Weston said the Crown did not? propose to call any medical evidence. They had had the advantage of Dr. Walker's advice and he agreed with the other medical witnesses.

His Honor: Then you do not ask the jury to convict? Mr. Weston: No, your Honor.

The matter was then put to the jury, the Judge advising them to return a verdict of not guilty. This they did on the grounds of insanity and the Court ordered the detention of Mrs. Hobday at Poriraa during the pleasure of the Governor-General