ATTEMPTED MURDER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3853, 17 January 1928, Page 14

ATTEMPTED MURDER.

LAWRENCE MACKENZIE CHARGED.

AUCKLAND, January 12. The hearing of the charge against Lawrence Mackenzie, aged 41, of attempted murder of his wife, Honor Clarke Mackenzie, was commenced in the Police Court. Mackenzie is charged with, at Parnell, on December 30, attempting t<? murder his wife, or, alternatively, on tho same date, with intent to do grievous bodily harm, he did actual bodily harm to her.

The prosecution is being conducted by Chief Detective Hammond, and che accused is represented by Mr Allan Moody.

Honor Clarke Mackenzie stated that she and her husband and family had coma to Auckland in June of last year. Her husband had been out of work most of the time. In November she and her husband had separated, but accused had come to see her, and said she had better come home or else there would be five dead children. Witness returned home, but another separation followed, and she and two of the children went to Whangarei. As a result of telegrams, saying that one of the boys had a septic foot and that the accused was ill, witness came back to Auckland. Accused was not ill. Witness returned to Whangarei, and on December 23 accused arrived there, saying that he 'ad a billet and was going to the Islands. Witness agreed to take the children and look after them. She returned to Auckland to make preparations to shift. Continuing, witness said that on December 29 accused had been at home '.ll- - going through letters. Witness went to bed about a quarter to 9. Accused was sitting at a table writing letters. The top of the window in the bedroom, was down. The room was lit by gas. Witness left this alight. The globe and mantle were in good order. Witness's eldest son came home about 9 o’clock. \t about 11 Mr Bennett, who was a boarder in the house, came home and went upsairs to bed. Accused came to bed about midnight. The gas was then still (alight. Witness went to sleep, but awoke a little later to find a candle alight on the dressing table and the accused taking the globe off the gas jet. The gas was then out. Witness asked accused what hi was doing, and he said that he was taking the globe off because it was cracked. The next thing witness remembered was that she was walking about the bedroom trying to find the door She felt ill, and her face was wet with blood. She told the accused she wanted to get a drink of water. He grabbed her by the throat, and said, “ No you won’t. are in here to die together.” Witness then struggled toward the window, pushed it up at the bottom, and tried to get out. As she could not get out, she put her head through the window to get some fresh air. There was a very strong smell of gas. Witness succeeded in getting out of the room,'and to the sink in the scullery, where she washed her face. Blood was coming from the wound in her forehead. Then she went upstairs and knocked on Mr Bennett’s door. Mr Bennett went to see if the children were all right. Witness lay down on the bed in Mr Bennett’s room. Accused came to her and said, “ Mother, will you promise to forgive me? ’’ She said, “ Yes.” Witness later went back to the bedroom, and noticed that a gas tube was attached to the gas jet, which, was stripped of the globe and mantle. The other end of the tube was under the bed clotlies. When witness went to bed the tube was connected to the griller in the kitchen. Constable Collins said that while he was on duty in Parnell early in the morning he was accosted by the accused, who said he wanted to give himself up for something he had done to his wife. “He would not say what he had done,” Constable Collins said, “ but he told me I had better come and see for myself. He said, ‘ It is strange how a man will hurt the dearest thing to him in the world.’ ’*• Witness went to the house, and into the bedroom, where Mrs Mackenzie was in bed with a bandage round her head. There were bloodstains on her nightdress. There was a razor on the 'dressing table, and there was a bloodstain on the handle. Questioned at the Parnell police station regarding what had happened, the accused made a short statement, which he declined to sign. He wanted to give himself up for something he had done to his wife, but he could not explain what. It was in a statement to Detective Sergeant Kelly that the accused said: “When 1 put my arms around my wif e first, I said, Hood God, have I hurt you? ’ ” Accused also said : “ I thought she was near dead. I cannot understand how I could do this. Blood makes me sick. If I had wanted to do my wife in, Bennett could not have stopped me. I take too much lying down.” Another passage in the accused’s statement read : “ I have thought things over. I cannot remember what took place on the night my wife was injured by a blow. I was very depressed.” Medical evidence was given by Dr E. D Aubin, who described the wound on Mrs Mackenzie’s forehead. It was probable that the cut had been inflicted by a glancing blow from a hammer. When seen by witness the accused appeared to be worried, but he could not, or would not, give any explanation of his wife’s injury. The accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was refused.