OLD SWEETHEARTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18761, 15 January 1923, Page 3

OLD SWEETHEARTS

lu'r-n.'ixn hesexts kefxiox, ATTACK WITH lUZOK FOLLOWS. (From Oun Owm Gorhe3Pokdkkt.J WANGANUI, January 13. As the sequel to the recent Aramoho assault, a man named William Owen, of Wellington, was charged to-day with attempting- to do grievous bodily barm to Thomas Herbert Butler, an electric linesman, of Wanganui, and with doing actual harm. The accused was admitted to bail in two sureties of ££o or one of £IOO. The evidence went, to show that Airs Owen and Butler had recently boon living toget.uer, and that they were occupying the same room when the accused invaded Butler’s homo, and Butler was wounded in 1-1 places on the hotly. In his statement to the court to-day, Butler admitted that Mrs Owen hod been an old sweetheart of his, and when Owen married her witness “did not feel too good about it,”

Inspector Fonhy : Was there any jealousy? Witness: No. We were all friends before the marriage.

To counsel for the defence Butler said that ho had been holding clandestine correspondence with Mrs Owen ever since she was married. Ho had been only a few days in the house before the assault. Oweu seemed to be collected enough at the time of the assault. When Mrs Owen first came to the house there were three children there. Witness came to Wanganui in July. Ho told Mrs Owen of his intention, and as the result, of that communication Mrs Owen came to Wanganui. Ho did Pot induce her to come. As Owen left the house after the assault witness heard him say: ‘T will get. her now.” When Mrs Owen was called upon to give evidence the accused’s counsel objected on the grounds that the wife could not give evidence against her husband. The objection was sustained.

Constable Egan said that Owen had told him that he was very sorry that the affair had happened. He had the razor in his pocket, and had intended to use it on himself. but he went mad at the lime. Owen, whose clothes were wet when he was arrested, said that he had fallen into a creek. There were two letters on the kitchen table when they returned to the house. Owen asked witness to take charge of them. One was addressed to Mrs Owen and the other to the accused’s son. The accused told witness to open the letter to Mrs Owen, and it would explain the whole matter. There was the sum of £8 in the letter addressed to the lad. Counsel asked for the letters to be road in court. The one to Mrs Owen expressed his affection for her, and mentioned the suffering he had endured, and that ho had not been able to sleep for three months. o intimated that he was going away for good. The one to his son contained some good advice to the lad and a warm assurance of his paternal regard. Mrs Owen sobbed incessantly when the letters were read out in court.

Constable Egan, continuing his evidence, said that when Owen was leaving the house he turned to Butler and said: “You aro a dirty mongrel, for taking away another man’s wife.” Witness did not recover the razor, and Owen said he did not, know what, he had done with it. as he was excited. When arrested, he seemed to be ;’na weak state.

The magistrate said that the letters wore evidently written before the assault.