CHARGES OF MURDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19488, 18 November 1926, Page 16

CHARGES OF MURDER.

DEATH OF INFANT BOY. MOTHER FOUND INSANE. CASE FOR MENTAL HOSPITAL. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday. In the Supreme Court to-day Elizabeth Ellen Robinson appeared on a charge of having, on May 30 at Sumner, murdered her infant, Gordon Robert Robinson. Counsel for the defence asked that the Court be cleared. Mr. Justice Stringer: Strictly, perhaps, I have no power to order the Court to be cleared. J have authority by law to do that only in the interests of public' morality, hut I invite people to leave the Court in the interests of humanity, as the case is of a peculiarly distressing kind.

Most of the public who were present immediately left the Court. The Crown Prosecutor said that the case was a very sad one. The medical evidence would show that, at the time of the offence, Mrs. Robinson was not in a mental state to know what she did. The superintendent of the Sunnyside Mental Hospital said that, in his opinion, Mrs. Robinson was suffering, at the time, from puerperal insanity. His Honor said that the jury should acquit the accused on tho ground of insanity, and the jury, without retiring, returned a verdict in accordance with His Honor's directions. ... His Honor said that, in terms of section 31 of the Mental Defectives Act, Mrs. Robinson would be detained in the Sunnyside Mental Hospital until the pleasure of tho Minister of Justice was known. v . Evidence given at tho inquest concerning the death of Mrs. Robinson's baby at Sumner disclosed that on the morning of the tragedy the mother was given her breakfast in bed as she was not well. She asked her son, aged 14 years, for a knife. A little later the baby, which was about seven weeks old, was found dead in the bedroom with a wound in the ' throat and Mrs. Robinson was missing. She was subsequently found in a collapsed condition in the sea off tho esplanade. RECENT LEVIN TRAGEDY. HUSBAND AGAIN* REMANDED. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. William George Sloman, a poultry farmer, of Levin, was charged in the Magistrate's Court to-day with the murder of his wife, Margaret Abegall Sloman, at Levin on November 5. Op the application of Chief-Detective, Ward he was remanded to appear at Palmerston North on November 19. A shocking discovery was made on the morning of November 5 by an employee of W. G. Sloman, poultry man, of Wcraroa Road, .Levin. On going to work at about eight o'clock, a youth, Horace' Strong, noticed that the fires which are kept going in the poultry houses were out and there was nosign of anyone about. Failing to get any replies to his knock ing on the door he went to the window of the boy's roomy and was horrified to see Russell Sloman, aged 13 years, lying on the bed with injuries to his head. Strong at once went for the police. When they arrived Mrs. Sloman was found lying' on a single bed in tho front bedroom. with serious injnries to her skull. On another bed her husband was lying, and was found to be suffering from the effects of poison. He was semi-conscious. Both victims were in their night attire. In a room adjoining Rita Sloman, aged 19 years, was fonnd in her bed, and sne also was suffering from terrible injuries to the head. The boy Russell, who occupied a room at the rear of the house, was found to be suffering from a severe injury over the eyes, evidently caused by a blunt instrument. Latest advices stated that the condition of the children showed improvement. •