BELL BATTERS BURKE.

NZ Truth, Issue 243, 19 February 1910, Page 7

BELL BATTERS BURKE.

A Ferocious Old Man.

John Bell, the hoary-headed deaf old man who had been remanded by his Honor so that .counsel mi^ht be assigned him, .was charged with assaulting one William Burke with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Mr Tole, KJD., appeared for the prosecution and Mr Richmond for the defence. As the. prisoner was. stone deal,. his Honor entered a plea of. not guilty. . , /

William Burke, 68 years of age, an inmate .of the Old Men' s Home, at Tararu. describecLthe assault .on him, which was of a vicrous character. Bell knocked him down, knelt on bis abdomen, slugged him with a flat stone, tried to ' pull out his tongue, „a nd succeeded yin wrenching out some teeth. He .was sufficiently badly hurt to be m hospital a fortnight. Had Bell not been pulled off him, he thought he would have murdered him.

.Other corroborative evidence was. given, and Bell handed up a statement practically admitting the assault, but strongly complaining of repeated acts dt provocation on the part of Burke.

Dr. Walsh, of the Thames, certified tq Burkes injuries, bnt he' said Bell, "who had reached 75 years' of age, suffered' entirely Irom delusions and was not of sound mind at the time of the assault.

His Honor, m sumining ' up, referred to the case as a pitiful one. An old man Hke prisoner was likely to be highly suspicions and suffer from delusions. The 'jury would be entitled to return a verdict" of not guilty on the ground of insanity. The jiiry promptly took his Honor's advice, and Bell was ordered to be sent to Avondale Asylum and kept m strict custody during the pleasure of the Minister of Internal Affairs.