HUSBAND'S REVENGE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9714, 26 March 1910, Page 7

HUSBAND'S REVENGE.

rival gagged, bound and SHOT. dramatic narrative. "ijrwnatio in the extreme was the story told at Exeter Assizes, when Alfred Audrey Stevens, a labourer, was indicted for the mnrder of Wll liam Ewings Sellwood, horsedeaior, at Newton Abbot. The crime, which occurred lass November, had several remarkable features. Stevens bound and gagged j,j d victim and fired at his head. Stevens afterwards kept the police and the crowd which surrounded tbe jioua-3 at bay with his revolver. In stampede two men, fearing that would be shot, fell into a millpond and narrowly escaped drowning. Stevens was in tears while Mr Clarke, prosecuting for the Crown, was making his opening statement. It was alleged, ho said, that there vare improper relations between Sellwood and the wife of Stevens. 0 j the day of the tragedy Stevens onllod on Mr Sellwood. at his stables, 8C (! the two went away together. A httlo later Stevens went to Mr Badcock Sellwood’s father-in-law, and Ji-od him to come to his house and hoor a confession from Sellwood of fiis improper conduct. At the same time he produced a revolver, saying It was the beginning of the end. Mr Badoook went to the house later as requested, followed by a policeman. Stevens came to the door and exclaimed, “You are too late !” Qa entering the house Mr Badoook saw Sellwood roped in a ohair in the kitchen with a wound on his head, from which blood was flowing fast. Sellwood was conscious but so tied in the chair that he could not defend himself. Taking up his stand at the foot ox the stairs with the revolver Stevens threatened to kill anyone who attended toSellwood’e injuries. Presently Stevens put the revolver to his own temple, and a click was heard as thoogh the weapon had missed fire. The constable was told that he would not be hurt so long.as he remained where he was. Stevens added that Sellwood had broken his heart, destroyed his home, and was the only person he wanted to Injure. MADDENED BY NEIGHBOURS’ SNEERS.

A police sergeant then appeared on the scene, and Stevens threatened to shoot him if he advanced another gfcpp. The man declined to surrender and said that as soon as Sellwood had bled to death be (Stevens) would finish himself Ha would not be taken alive. A paper was then handed to the police, which Stevens said was a confession which Sellwood had just written and signed. The police found the paper contained what purported to ba a confession by Sellwood of improper conduct with Stevens’ wife. When a medical man arrived Stevens refused him admission to the kitchen, which, however, was soon entered by a back window. Stevens was eventually overpowered, and surrendered tbe revolver. It contained three cartridges. He later said to his brother-in-law “Tom, I never intended to do anything like this, but the neighbours sneer at me about it, and I cannot sleep " Sellwood died in hospital on December 7th from laceration of the brain caused by a bullet wound. Counsel submitted that the case contained all the elements of murder aforethought, and pointed out that the weapon and the cartridges were par based a few days before the crime. Stevens gave evidence in „hls defence. He said that until recently he waa happy with his wife. They were more like a couple courting than married. Last autumn he became suspicious, and at the end of October he charged his wife with having soma one In the house. She thereupon left him, but returned later. Sellwood, ‘with bis wife, father-in-law, and brother-in-law, visited the house after he had ;challenged Sellwood about his conduct. When tbe party entered the house by the front door he went in by the back, and got into a place where he could hear what took place. He heard Mr Badoook say, “Would you know Mr Sellwood if you saw him?” His wife said, “Yes inhere ha is now. Mr Sellwood has been coming here, and be knows it. He knows I am speaking the truth. ” ARRANGED for a missfire.

“Later,” proceeded Stevens "Sellwood again came to the house. My wife waa sitting by the fire with one child in ber arms, and the other two playing round her. I told Sellwood to take a obalr, and he sat down, I said, ‘Look at that woman and those children, and say you have never been here. ’ My wife said at once it was the truth, and Sellwood remarked, ‘lt’s as well to tell the troth as not. That is true’ Sellwood voluntarily signed a confession and allowed himself to be bound to the chair, so that he should remain in the house until I returned after fetching some relatives to whom Sellwood had promised to tell tbe truth.” Continuing, Stevens said that he was feeling so ill that he purchased a revolver to shoot himself, but failed to do so because of his love lor hia children. He had no intention of murdering Sellwood. He loaded the revolver with four cartridges, one blank, and manipulated the magazine, as he thought, so that the first pull of the trigger should result in a missfire. After Sellwood had confessed to bis father-in-law he intended to point the weapon at him to frighten him. Then he would have turned the pistol on himself committed suicide. He was horrified when he fonnd he had shot “sllwood. It was purely unintentional.

Beplying to counsel, Stevens said ho never asked Sellwood for a writ-1 confession. It was Sellwood who j soggestecl anoh a thing. Sellwood { Wrote the confession before he showed him the revolver. Sellwood started I *0 tie himself up in the ohair. Ste- } Vans said he did not previously attempt to commit suicide not because of fear of death, but because of the j ‘houghs of leaving three little girls j With a mother who was not able to look after her own honour, let alone theirs. His Lordship; Why load four Chambers for yourself? ' Stevens: There ia nothing like having enough. I did not know how many it would require. )( 'lho jury returned a verdict of ’ ’ Mr Justioe Bray postponed rentenoe Obtil the Thursday, when Stevens ; Was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment