BLOW WITH HAMMER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22098, 31 October 1933, Page 6

BLOW WITH HAMMER

CHARGE AGAINST HUSBAND DEFENCE OF INSANITY PLEADED (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, October 30. The defence of insanity was set up at the trial to-day of John Shaw Gordon, aged 68, a retired bricklayer, on a charge that, with intent to do grievous bodily harm, he did actual bodily harm to his wife, Nellie. The Crown alleged that in the early morning of August 31 Gordon attacked his wife with a hammer and then attempted to commit suicide. The Crown Prosecutor said that in a case of this kind the wife might give evidence against her husband, but in New Zealand she could not be compelled to do so. In this case the wife would not be a witness. Evidence was given on the lines of that in the lower court hearing. Counsel for the defence questioned the medical witnesses to show that the accused’s mentality might have been affected by a discharging wound, which was found When be was examined. The accused’s son, aged 20, said bis father was of a peculiar disposition and seemed over-sensitive to noise. Dr T. G. Short said he was satisfied the accused was insane. He had a sense of grievance against the family, and delusions of persecution. His condition was the result of chronic alcoholism, probably accentuated by chronic suppuration of a sore on his hip. The accused might have known what he was doing _ when he attacked his wife, but witness did not think he fully understood the significance of it.

Dr H. M. Buchanan, superintendent of the mental hospital, said _ he did not find any symptoms of insanity in the accused. There was nothing unusual about his mental condition for a man of 68. His peculiar behaviour consisted of foibles. Dr G. M. Tothill corroborated Dr Buchanan’s evidence. After a retirement of 35 minutes the jury returned a verdict of guilty on the second count —the charge of assault so as to cause actual bodily harm—and guilty of attempted suicide. . Sentence was postponed.