COLDSTREAM TRAGEDY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16211, 23 August 1923, Page 8

COLDSTREAM TRAGEDY.

EVIDENCE OF AOCUSFJ)

(Per Press Association.) CHEISTCHBUCH, this day., At the trial of Albert' Frederick Maxwell Kissel, aged 18, on a ehnrge* of murdering James Mackenzie;,, at on June 12th, the accused continued his! evidence. ', ' . ','." ' .' hi hig evidence, Kissel, in describing, what happened after the fatal shot Was fired at Mackenzie, said,: "I haye very vivid dream?- That -night 1 dreamt I shoti that girl; I got up as usual next morning. I won't say the dreams alarmed me but I had.suspicions; that things were not quite right. 1 wept to work. I couldn't get Mackenzie out of .my mind. He wasn't haunting mo or going, alongside me, but- I went' tliiwugh the heil I had liad with ■him in»connection l with the practice lie had taught. I had dinner .and went to my hut. I eaw that tile rifle had been used. It began'''to dawn nil me that) there was .mora in the nightmares than I thought. > I saw that there, were, two bullets where .there should havebejen three. I thought with, horror have I really killed lam ?, I j asked Mi'. Gourjay if he thought I was' sane. My Swords . came out ajl, in a. jumble. What Gourlay said in evidence; ■must bo right. 1 was what .you'd call disturbed by that time, and I—couldn't leave things as they were. I Went oyer to Coldstream in the direction of 'tho, house. Outside; tho igjEf pl* saw Martin and Birch.' 1 wanted to get the under-1 tainty ovei* as soon as possible so IJ asked if I had hurt Mackenzie, Martini' said, 'You've, killed hire,' - It all eah>e ■ on. : nie at once that it was no dream,' thnti I wa# a murderer, and a criminal and I collapsed on the ground." "Did you go out shooting with "Mackenzie?" asked counsel. . J Only once with him alone, ' ■ I Could you have shot him then?—l had several opportunities to 1 do so when it would have gone off as an ; accident in cveiy day life. I'"could; not have brought*myself to kill him although I wished him dead.. _' -'•: Kissel gave his evidence ire an extraordinary clear manner, showing a. command ,of English which amounted "to j eloquence.

i Kissel was subjected to a severe crossexamination by Mr, A. Donnelly, Crown Prosecutor. Kissel denied he ever tried to blackmail Mackenzie. Mr. Donnelly (to; accused): Did you ever remember discussing the question of murder with Walsh? Accused: Yes, I\remember on one occasion beinar down in the. and I forgot whether I said 1 was tired of life and had one more act to do. I said words to tlhe effect that there was a, certain person I would like! to kill, and then swing for it and get out of ;it altogether, Mr. Donnelly: Walsh said that you asked him how old a person would need to be to bo haneed, and that you had a, jolly good mind to shoot your "old mother?"

'Accused ;.";! '.can'tiremember that. . Have you any recollection, of having ■ told Walsh you had a jolly .good, mind to shoot yotir mother? Accused: No. —4-^

When dkt,you,, first realjse that, what' you and Mackenzie were idbrngi was wrong ?~-I suppose it was when I was about fifteen. _ I was wartted by a man that I was doings wrong. 'y Dr.;.. Percy Chisliolm,' specialist in nervous diseases, gave lengthy evidence of a technical nature. He "considered that" at the time Kissel committed the crime he was suffering from disease of tho mind to such all eitxent to make him incapable of understanding in his personality the nature <jf his act. < ' . .

Tho case was/adjourned till to-mori row. ' ■■■■'!