JEALOUS HUSBAND

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12015, 18 December 1924, Page 6

JEALOUS HUSBAND

OLD MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER. UNDER DELUSIONS. Per Press Association. OAMARU, December 17. In the Magistrate’s Court before Mr Bundle, S.M., John Holmes aged years, was charged with attempting to murder his wife, Annie Isabella Holmes, on November 2nd, by ohooting. The medical evidence showed that Mrs Holmes was shot behind the lower jaw with a 12-calibre rifle, and her condition was, for several weeks, Berious. SUSPECTED HER INFIDELITY. Mrs Holmes is much younger than her husband. Her evidence Was to tho effect that her husband and she lived happily enough together, hut latterly Holme’s had suspected infidelity on her part, quite without justification. He had been a bit queer but he bad' never threatened violence to himself or her. He complained of being un able to sleep, and told her some time l before the shooting that he had not slept for weeks. They slept in different rooms, and she had been able to prove, absolutely, to Holmes that he was wrong m his suspicions, but that did not alter his attitude. He was under delusions, said witness, which she could net shake. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. The evidence for the prosecution bore out the details of the tragedy already given. Holmes reserved his defence, and was committed for trial at a sitting of the Supreme Court, to be held «t> Oamara on February 4tli. A charge of attempted suicide preferred against, the accused was withdrawn by the police.