THE KAIKORAI TRAGEDY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume Li, Issue 16894, 26 November 1925, Page 12

THE KAIKORAI TRAGEDY.

MI'S HART CHARGED WITH MURDER. |For Press Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. In the Police Court the hearing of the charges of murder of three children against Ellen Hart, in connection with the Kaikorai tragedy, commenced before Air Bartholomew. The children were, Lindsay Hart (5), Andrew William (3 years 5 months) and Nola (fourteen months). Air Italian appeared for the accused. The inquest was taken concurrently. Margaret Upton, a. next door neighbor. slated that, at 8.30 on the Monday morning of November 9, she heard something fall on the roof of her house, went out. and heard' accused calling her. crying “Come quickly.” Accused had a. handkerchief in her hand and stated she had killed her children. Witness asked accused to conic to her house, but the latter replied: “T didn’t want to leave the children,” adding, ‘‘l couldn’t come like this.” Witnesk noticed cuts on the accused’s throat. She called a cousin to assist, and they brought accused into witness's house. Accused said: “We had an argument last night.” adding: “I suppose I'll hang for this.” Witness sent for a doctor, an<) asked her husband to go to Hart’s place to see if any of the children were alive. They found the baby Nola in a pram in the front, bedroom with her throat cut. Andrew Lindsay was on the kitchen floor in the same condition. Prior to this, accused had staled- she left a note for her husband. He had- told her in the morning that lie wanted her, but she said she could not- stay on his terms. After Dr. Evans arrived, accused! said : “We 'Confessed! our sins last right.” and stated her husband had said the children would! have to sutler for her sins. She bad replied she didn’t want them to- do that. To Mr Lallan, witness stated accused appeared to be very fond of the children. O.mond Bernard Upton, husband of the last witness, corroborated' his wife’s statement. He stated he had noticed nothing peculiar , about- the Harts as neighbors. Dr. Evans deposed that accused stated that up to 28 years of age she was a C'llVdir. but since her marriage she had gone to the Baptist Church with her husband’s people. Later at th£ hospital accused went over practically tile same ground with the addition that her husband bad said Die first child' was not his. She thought from the fact that her husband kissed her before leaving that everything was all right and did not, want to blame him. Accused admitted that- she had intercourse with her husband before marriage, and told him another man had fried to take advantage of her. To Mr Cnllan : Any questions he asked accused were to find her mental condition. ITe had been told that at one period accused was temporarily blind. He would not connect (hat with her mental state. To the Chief Detective; During the interviews he discerned no mental wen. kness.