MURDEROUS MAX MEILSCH.

NZ Truth, Issue 58, 28 July 1906, Page 4

MURDEROUS MAX MEILSCH.

THE STORY OF HIS SAVAGE ONSLAUGHT.

"No, Hans, I Will Not Scream!"

He Gave Her Two " Easy Strokes."

Reserves His Defence and is Committed for Trial.

Before Dr. McArthur, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday (Friday), Ernest Carl Max Meilsch was charged with having, on June 23, attempted to murder his wife, Maria Rosina Eleanor Meilsch. Meilsch, for whom Mr Toogood appeared, pleaded not guilty. He stood I in the dock with his throat and wrist [ swathed in linen bandages covering | wounds self-inflicted in Uhe cell after his arrest. The first witness was Mrs Meilsch. She was accommodated with a seat in the witness box, and was in a very weak state. She said in answer to Chief Detective 'McGrath that she was a mid-wife and the accused her husband. She had lived apart .from him since June 1. She had resided a,t, 23 G-arrett-street. The accused had lived at a Mr Rass-musseu's place •„. at 130 Cuba-street. On June 15, Meilsch was convicted of assaulting her by biting her nose. He was fined,4<)s, in default 14 days' imprisonment. lie I was also given 14 days in which to pay the fine. - , Dr. McArthur : It might also go on the depositions that at the same time he consented to an order for summary separation and to pay 15s maintenance. It was on that ground that I fined him instead of SENDING HIM TO GAOL, as I otherwise invariably, do in such cases. ■'".'■ Continuing, the witness said that on the day before the assault Meilsch met her and had some conversation with' her. . At this stage Meilsch started off to address the Court and was told to sit down as he had a lawyer representing him. The witness went on to say that on the day that Meilsch stopped her in the street he asked her to come and see his lodgings. She at first demurred, but eventually accompanied him to his rooms. She parted with him on good terms and said she would have to go as she was busy. About 7 p.m. the same evening sne went to her daughter-in-law's place at Tina-kori-road._ Coming "back she ran into the accused near • Molesworth-street. He said that he was going around to look at her advertising lamp and then going home to bed. He asked to bo allowed to accompany her ; she assented, and he walked along with her as far as . the foot of Taranaki-street. Sitting on the timber by the sea he asked her to make a home for him ; he said that he ■ had told all his friends the fault was his. She asked him how could he expect her to do that after what he had done to her, and why he had tried to bite her nose off. He said that if he cquld not live with her no other man should. Here the witness broke down and seemed to be fearful lest the accusedshould molest her, but, being reassured 'by the Chief Detective, she resumed her story. She said an Englishman would shudder at what he had done to her. He asked her if he could write, to her. She said, "No," and further forbade him to call on her. She promised to meet him 'the following night, outside his place in Cuba-street. On the night of June 23, about 7.15, she met him outside his residence and said she had stuck to her word. He invited her inside, but- she 1 declined as her boots were damp and she had no goloshes on. He caught her by the arm and pulled her, saying, "Come on." This was not done in an angry manner. ■•' She went in and saw Rassmussen, whom she knew, and he said he was surprised to know that she was Meilsch's wife.' Rassmussen went on to say that he thought Meilsch was a NICE, QUIET FELLOW? She said "keep him here." He said something like, "Oh, no," and wanted them to make it up. "She said, "You have known me many years and I have always paid you what I owed you," and she saad that she had. She said, "Fancy this man advertising that he would not be responsible for my debts." She turned to Meilsch and said in German, "Hans,' you had a good wife." He jumped up and kissed her on the face and said in German, "I have still got a good wife." Rassmussen again said something about making it up. She replied that she could, never trust a man who had tried to bite her nose off ; as the man who would do that to a wornsui would murder her. Meilsch jumped up off the chaiir and said. "Murder you," "Murder you." He dragged her by the arm out through the scullery into the back yard. He was very much enraged whe;i he was dragging her by the arm, Out inthe yatrd he raised the, axe. She screamed. He said, f 'Will. you stream,", and she said "NO, HANS." She did not remember any more till she found herself in the hospital. While dragging her out he kept -on saying, "Murder you!" "Murder you !" She had been in the hospital suffering from a wound in the head. The medical testimony of Drs. Hogg .and Robertson showed that the unfortunate woman had received a wound about four inches in length which had penetrated to the skull. I There was also a slight scalp wound. An axe could have caused the wound, and great force must have been used. The injury was dangerous to life. She was admitted to the -hospital on the night of June 23. Dr. Robertson attended her and she was detained till last Thursday. Her condition was critical during the first three days she was at the hospital ; she was, however, now out of danger, and Dr. Robertson remarked that he could not understand why the wound did not prove fatal. Nils Rassmussen, once a baker, now a laborer, at whose house the alleged assault was commi tiled, gave his version nt the tragic ovrnls of the evening of Juno i ( .".. Ho asked how it was she and Meilsch could nol get on to-

gether, and she told him that she could not live with him because he bit her nose. Having detailed the incidents inside the house, the witness went on to describe the' scene outside in the yard, where Meilsch had got his wife. Rassmussen HEARD HER SCREAM five minutes afterwards, and rushed out. He found her on the ground ; the accused was not there. Witness got her a cup of water and assisted her into the house. He spoke to her but received no reply. Then he went, for a, policeman. She was wounded on the head, and when he found her she was lying 'in her blood. The axe produced belonged to the witness, and it was usually kept in a shed in the yard. The weapon was picked up by Constable O'Connor near where the woman was lying. • Constable Patrick. O'Connor, .of iVltj. Cook, in his evidence, stated that lib was on duty.. on the night of June 23. Rassmussen. came to him in Cubastreet, and with him he went to his house.; Mrs Meilsch was sitting -in the scullery and was bleeding freely from, a wound on the head. Witness searched the yard and picked up an axe, about three feet away from a pool of blood. Witness called, in Dr. Hogg, who ordered her removal to the hospital. Since that time the accused had been in the hospital and witness had looked after him. On June 28 Meilsch . asked him to go and see his wife. He said it was all HER OWN FAULT; that she had commenced to struggle with him outside the door and he had, taken up the axe and had gjiven her "two easy strokes," and then ran away. Heinrich Bornholdt, a laborer, said that he resided at 84 Mblesworthstreet, and . knew .. JVleilsch and his wife.. On' the night of June 23 Meilsoh came to the house and said tljat he "had come to say his last goodbye. -He said, "I have done it now ; Ihave done it and I will have to go, too." Witness told him that he was mad and ordered him to leave the house. Meilsch next took off his watch and chain and said it was no good to him. He was again told to leave, and did so, saying,. "Good-bye, I have done it." He was very excited, but witness did not think Meilsch was drunk. : Evidence of a similar nature Was given by Emma Bornholdt, who stated that Meilsch declared "She is gone and I have to go, too." > V •'<■*- John Bornholdt, a young, man, gave evidence that he saw. Meilsch crouching out in the yard of . the house in Molesworth-street. Witness s^id "Who is there ?" Meilsch said he need .not be frightened, and then declared Jjiat he had hit her on the head. Witness ordered him to leave and Meilsch said "Good-bye," and went away with, at open KNIFE IN HIS HAND. Sydney Cole, a carpenter, residing at 23 Garrett-street, said he knew the accused and his wife. The, latter had since the separation stayed at. his place. On June 20 he saw Meilsch in Victoria-street. "" The accused passed him and said "I'll settle you." He came back and wanted to Know where he could see his wife at night-time. Witness made an indefinite reply And Meilsch said; "I will settle you and. her both before I pay the fine." Constable John Nash, stationed ' at Upper Hutt, said that on Monday, June 2C, about 11 a.m., ne arrested the apcused on the main road, outside the Provincial Hotel. Witness asked Meilsch where he came from and was told "Masterton." He denied that hl« name was Meilsch, and said it Was Remneiy and that he was on his way to 'Wellington on his bike. The censtable informed the accused- that he answered to the description of a nafta wanted in Wellington for atieragjfctfl murder. Meilsch told the witness. fbat he had -made a mistake and thfcV ijls name was Carfrl Remner. Me tfWtft having arrived at the Upper Hats *& the .previous day and denifffl tftat he had a wife. Witness saw him pass through the Hutt the pr*Yio«s day and denied that he had a wife. Witness saw him pass through the Hatfc the previous day and told him so. Meilsch Was then lodged in the $•«&• up. Three quarters of an hour afterwards witness went to the eell, baring been away to secure somtbedr H identify the prisoner, and-f<nmd him lying on the floor of the cell in A POOL OF BLOOB. His throat and left wrist irire'cit. There was a wound oh his tterhpie. Witness, found ;a small pocket-knife im tiie wound oh Meilsch's tempi*. ;. McGregor, of H.M.S; Encounter,'; 1 attended, the accused, who was afterwards removed to the Wellington H«apital. Before putting the accused i* the cell, witness had searched him and took one knife from him. The knife which the accused had used gn himself he must have concealed. Meilsch reserved his defence and pleaded not guilty. He was commit* ted to take his trial at the next sittings of the Criminal Gourt. Bail was not applied for.