ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16981, 18 April 1917, Page 2

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER

LEDGERWOOD BEFORE THE COURT.

ACCUSED COMMUTED FOR TRIAL,

In tho City Police Court yestexday, before Mr H. A. Young, S.M., tho charge against Arthur AVin. Ledgenvood of attempting to murder Ruby M'Knight by shooting her on March lb was proceeded with.

. Tho caso was adjourned to the Hospital in order that the comp.ainant's depositions might be taken

li-iiby Janet M'Knight staled that sho was £) years of age, and was a single woman. Prior to March 16 she was employed in the Milburn Lime and Cement Company s office. Sho had known tho accused for about eight months, and had Kept company with him during that period About three- weeks or a month before she was injured she spent a holiday at Kauana, Invorcargill. She wrote accused a letter from this place to the effect that she wished to discontinue keeping company with him. c«T? T I', 013 "o*,0* , - saying that ho would not take ( No for an answer, and she could not turn him down" as she liked, and if she did there would bo trouble. She destroyed tho Jotter. About a month after her return, from Invcrcargill she met' accused as tho result of a telephonic communication from him. This was tho evening on which tho shooting took place. At first she saw accused staggering about at tho rear of His Majesty s Theatre, and went away, and subsequently returned, meeting him at tho corner of Crawford street. He then seemed all right, and she spoke to him. lie told her over tho telephone that his mother was expecting her down to tea, and also that he had something Tory important, to toll her, as he was leaving in the morning. In reply to this she told him she would visit his mother. When she met him ho was drunk. Ho told her to wait for him at Hanover street, which sho did. When ho came along about 10 minutes afterwards he was staG™;erin.!r as if in a drunken condition. Sho did not smell any drink on him as she was too frightened, and did not know what sho was doing. Slip walked along tho street with him to his mother's house, fie did not walk well. They went into the kitchen and sat down on a couch. About a minute afterwards accused said, "Come into tho top room." She went, and his mother and sister followed. Ho sat down on a basket eiiair and pulled withness down on his knee. His mother came in and told him to get off the chair, or he would break it. Witness then got away from him and sat on the piano stool. He then got down on his hands and knees and was sick, and sho walked towards tho door to get away from him. His mother and sister tried to lift him up, and then his brother came in. Accused put his right hand in his pocket and took out something, and called out "Ruby." islho went near him to see what it was, and seeing a revolver, she called out to his mother, "Look, what lie has in his hand." Sho had no sooner said that, - when he raised his hand -and fired. Ho pointed at her and she heard tho report and felt tho bullet, which struck her on the left breast. ' Tho .revolver produced was to the opo accused used. She had told him more than once during the eight months' they were associated, that sho wanted to discontinue their relations, but he always replied that ho would not take "No" for an answer, and if he could not marry her nobody else would. He said ho would put a shot through her and then ono through himself. Cross-examined by Mr Hanlon, deponent stated that sho was not very fond of accused at the beginning of their relations. Sho liked him. but was not fond of him. She didn't mind going with him. He used to take her to placpsi of amusement. As time went on she became sick of him. She told him she was seeing him too often, but didn't say she was getting sick of him. He tried to make out that he was fond of her, but sho did not know whether ha was or not. When she wrote to him sho did not address him in any other way than " Dear Arthur," and when ho wrote hn addressed her as "Darling Rubv," or something like that. She did not tell her mother that she corresponded with accused. He. was at" her home pract : cally every night in tho week, or such nights when she did not go to the pictures. She was at Kauana in February, and when sho returned she did not look, for him. Sho. received tickets for tho theatre on the morning of her return, but she didn't know they came from him. . The envelope was not addressed in his writing. • Ho was in the habit of ringing her up and saying "If I can only see you I'll be satisfied." To this sho always said "No." Her mother did not like him. None of the family cared about her keeping company with him. Sho did not know why they did not like him. Sho got tired of him because ho was always growling if she was late for an appointment, and bpcauso she was seeing too much of him. Sho didn't know what she said at the time of tho shooting. Sho did not know that sho said it was an accident.

Mx Ilanlon: When Dr Roberts saw you did you say it was an accident?—l don't know.

Do you remember saying to anyono: "Don't report it, as it is an accident"?— I don't know.

Do you say now that it was an accident? —I won't say it was an accident Ho ra'eerl his hand and fired the shot. After all ho said I am certain ho meant to" do it. Do ycu feel certain he was drunk on that afternoon ?—No. !

_ When you wore in tho top room you were sitting on his kneo? —Ho dragged mo on to his kneo.

You had your arm around his neck, didn't you?—Oh! I did- not. I'vo never had my arm round his nock;

Continuing, she sa.id that before accused was siok she dragged herself away from him, and sat on the piano stool. When he was siok sho rail down tho passage and called his brother Jim, saying' "Arthur is sick." Tho brother went in, and the mother and the sister were then trying to take accused outsido. Sho did not see them trying to take off his coat, nor did she hear Jim asked to give aceused his handkerchief. Tho only thing sho heard was the mother telling May (tho sister) to get something to wipe the floor with. From what sho could remember accrued was sitting with his back to her w-hen ho put his hand in his pocket, and his mother and sister were holding him and trying- to get him up. Tho right arm was freo and she saw the revolver in it, and she saw him lift his hand. She would swear thai he did not have a handkerchief in tho same hand as the revolver. When ho called out " Ruby," she walked up, and was at the side of either tho mother or the brother when accused fired. Immediately after"wnrds sho folt tho shot she called out " You shot me." Some one grabbed her and put her in a bedroom. They let aceused go, and he fell on the floor. Tho others ran out and left her in the bedroom opposite. She ran out to tho back door aiid someone carried her back into tho bedroom. She did not notice accused lying on tho floor as she was being taken back, but >a little while after sho hoard him moaning somewhere. This was after the doctor had gone away. Accused had never staved with her people. Ho used to go out" to her home and stay until 11 o'clock or a little later. All tho presents he had given her had been sent back to him. Her sister packed thorn up and told accused to send for them, and ho sent an express. He usod to send out all manner of things, saying that he didn't want to take them homo. Her mother and sister had said, after sho had stated that sho did not want theso presents that they should not bo allowed to remain in tho house.

Re-examined by Chief Detective Bishop, she said that the did not smell any liquor on him when he pulled her on to his knee, lie was chewing something at the time, Edward Charles Thomson, ironmonger, in the employ of Messrs Paterson and l?arr, said accused was formerly employed at tho same establishment. On March 16 accused was standing at the shop door, and ho asked witness to show him a certain revolver which was in the window. The revolver produced was the one he pointed to. He said ho wanted it for 'the manager of His Majesty's Theatre. It was for the play then being staged there. Witness showed accused how to work it, but used no cartridges. Accused had it in his hand for a few minutes, and said- he did' not think it would suit. Witness told him to leave if., and to send the manager up. Someone called him to the door, and witness then proceeded with other work. Accused Ciuno into the shop again, and was attended to by Churl o« Floekton in regard to tho revolver produced. Accused was

quite sober at. the time. Charles Graham, FJoe.kton corroborated tho evidence of the -nrcvious witness. Tho accused nsked if the Gnu had any blank cartridges, and on being told that they \voro not. kept in stock, ho asked for rv box of cartridges to fit tho revolver. Witness got 41 box and opened it. Accused placed a. cartridge in the magazine of the revolver, but witnoss told him to tako it out, and tho carfcridfcn was put buck in tho box. Witness showed tho accused a .32 revolver, but ho *»id it would not Bwi. Accused

asked if he could talco the revolver down to tho theatre to see if it wouJd suit. Witness replied that hn thought that would be all right, '.the Accused got the revolver,' and said: " You had bettor give me ;i coup'o of cartridges too." Witness did so, ono of which was produced. Accused tlioti left tho shop, but did not return, and witness next saw tho revolver in the possession of Doteciivo tlammerly. Accused was sober ■when ho ivae in the shop. .Tarries Ledgerwood, a brother of tho accused, stated that ho was in tho room when Ruby M'Knight was shot. Ho picked up the revolver after the shooting, and handed it over to Detective-sergeant Kemp next day. When Detective-sergeant Kemp took the magazino out there was one cwrtridgo in it. ; Dr Roberts stated that when he was nailed to the home of the accused's mother Ruby M'Knight was suffering from a. gimshot wound on the outeido of tho left breast. There was no wound of exit, but sKo complained of pain when breathing. ' He burpected that tho bullet had passed through tho chest and lodged in the bac.lt, but there were no urgent symptoms. She was removed to tho Hospital next afternoon. Tho wound could have been caused by a bullet such as the one produced. To Mr Planlon: Tho girl did not make any statement as to how it was caused, but asked him not to report it. as it was an accident. Ho saw her just befora sho was removed to tho Hospital, and he could not recall any statement by her on that occasion to the effect it was an aco : dent. Ho sa-w tho accused on tho night of March 16. Ho was told by tho others that he was drunk. He was lying on the floor on his face, groaning;, and occasionally calling out, "Ruby. , " Ho took it for granted that he was drunk, and took no further notice of him. Ho did not notice any smell of alcohol in tho room.

To Chief Detective Bishop: The accused's condition might have been the result of drink, or ho might have boon suffering from hysteria or intense remorse, as the result of what he had done.

To tho Magistrate: The girl was apparently calm when she mado the statement to him, but sho might have been in a stunned or dazed condition.

Mr Ilanlon: Would sho know what sho was saying,—Yes. Sho was very anxious that nothing should 'be eaid. Dr Jenkins (house surg-eon at tho Hospital) guve evidence ns to tho admission of lUihy M'Knight into tho Hospital She had been under his care throughout. She was still in danger, and thore was some doubt as to what tho result wouW bo. To Mr Hanlon: It was probable that she would get hotter, tout thero was a risk that shi would not. s

■'Detective Hammorley stated that, when arrested, accused stated that ho knew nothing about tho shooting , , and did not know where he pi'ooured the revolver. Mr Hanlon dii-eetrel attention to the fact that the accused's mother, who was present at tho time of tho incident, had not been called by the pol ; oe. It had been laid down for centuries that it was the duty of prosecutors to brincr before the court any person who could throw any light upon tho subject matter of the charge- The nolice wero laekiner in their duty to the Crown and tho accused in failing to put the accused's mother in tho witness box. Tho wa.9 committed for tr : al at thn next sittinsr of tho Suprom" Court, hail bnino- allowed— in £300 and two sureties of £150 each.