THE CHRISTCHURCH TRAGEDY

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1831, 10 April 1907, Page 43

THE CHRISTCHURCH TRAGEDY

DYING WOMAN’S DEPOSITIONS. JEALOUSY THE CAUSE OF THE CRIME. CHRISTCHURCH, April 6. Last night’s tragedy in Moorehouse avenue, when a man named James Smithers attempted to murder a young woman named Nellie Jackson, by cutting her throat, and then attempted to commit suicide, has not yet resulted fatally to either of them. At latest advices the woman, who was in a precarious uTnciitio-n last night, is still low, although she is doing as Well as can be expected. It is not likely that the man will die. . Last night, when it was reported that the woman was in a dying condition, her depositions were taken in open Court in the operating room, before Mr H. W, Bishop, S.M., in tho presence of the accused, who was charged with attempted murder. Mrs Jackson said: —

“My lawful name is Nellie Jackson. I knew the accused by the name of James Smithers. I am a married woman, but don’t know whether my husband’ is alive or dead. I belong to Melbourne, but have been in New Zealand for some time. I have been living with the accused as his wife since August last in Christchurch, hut we separated. I go out to work by the day. The accused does no work. He has waylaid mo in the street. He has oome round to where I live in Antigua street. He used to come round and annoy me. I spent the day with him at Lyttelton. We went to Sumner this evening, and returned to Christchurch just as the hotels were closing. I said ‘Good night’ to the accused at tho Crown Hotel. He knocked me down on the footpath near the Crown Hotel. He struck me with his fist first, and then held me on the footpath, and then started to cut my throat with a razor. Be said that he was going te settle me, and that lie would die with me. I then saw the 1 accused fall on his back on tlie footpath. My present injuries were inflicted by him. No one was present. I think he was jealoiis or me. We had no row previously.” It lias been ascertained that there were two witnesses of the assault, one a young man named Harry McCaw, living at Sydenham, who arrived m timo to pull Smithers away from the woman, and tho other an old man living in the vicinity, who arrived about the same time. McCaw states that he saw Smithers chasing the woman, and his statement is substantiated by the discovery of blood marks on the road as far out as the tram lme. The actual assault seems to have occurred directly opposite the first house west of the Crown Hotel, on all die wooden culvert across the gutter where heavy bloodstains v.cie discernible this morning. ... .

The spot was visited by many morbidly curious persons, mostly young women and girls. Last night nail of

the handle of the raws' 'found, and this morning Detective L. Ward discovered the blade with the other half of the handle attached, covered with dust, at the side of the road. It was thickly coated with dry blood. The edge was not turned or chipped in any way however. When Detective Gitic**. spoke to Smithers ho was sitting in the gutter. On tho arrival of the poiioe, fennthera said: “It’s all the fault of ——“ (a, name that was not distinguishable). The case is supposed to be one of jealousy of a third partj