CHARGE OF MURDER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12867, 13 September 1912, Page 5

CHARGE OF MURDER.

I (Per Press Association.) DANNEVIRKE, this day. The Magistrate has been engaged' for the Ik&t. two days at C'rnioiid ville hearing a charge against "Mathias Peter Beck, allegedly of murdering his wife at South Norsewood a fortnight ago. The evidence is on the 'same lines as that given at the inquest. Accused reserved his defence, and was committed for trial at the Napier sessions of tho Supreme Court, commencing on Tue.-dav next. ' . ; . '

DANNEVIRKE, last night. The hearing of the charge against Mathias Peter Beck, of murdering his wife, Annie Mary Beck, at.-Norse.wood. on August .31st, was commenced before Mr S. Ei ' McCarthy. S.M., Detective Butler conducted the case for the police anu Mr Fitzherbert" appeared for the accused. , The principal evidence taken was thai, of 'Christian Dennesen, .laborer, who deposed ,that on the night Of August 26th he*, bought some ruin. 'jThe accused also brought in a bottle of rum and six battles of heer. They all drank the rum after tea*. The accused and his wife then had a dispute, and Beck asked witness to go for another bottle of rum. Witnes. fetched another bottle. When witness returned Mrs Beck sa^d. "My dear boy, he' has been knocking hie about ever since you left. untii ; he heard you return." On the. Wednesday evening witness went for, two more bottles of rum. The accused took one of them and his wife the other. ' They drank the rum during the day, and had some more after tea. They retired at 12 o'clock. Witness went to bed first and left his bedroom door open. Witness heard something iaW heavily, and on looking out saw Mrs Beck lying on the passage way between the kitchen and the bedroom. Beck helped her to bed. Later in the night witness heard another "barney" in the bedroom, and heard the deceased say, "For heaven's sake, don't hit rtie any more, dad ; I'm tihat sure I can't stand any more." Witness heard smacks before she sang out. On Thursday the accused went to the hotel and brought six bottles of beer and two bottles of rum back. When he returned ..he had a good drop of liquor in him. They all * drank some beer. Witness and -'-.the accused had a row. The accused caught hold of witness and thumued him with his hand. Witness fell down and Beck kicked him. Witness then ran away to Norsewood and remained there that night. On Friday morning witness returned to Beck's. The accused was in bed. Beck again hit witness* before he' left. Witness left Beck, first going to Norsewood. and subsequently returning to Ormondville.