WOMAN ON TRIAL

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 236, 6 May 1933, Page 3

WOMAN ON TRIAL

Christchurch Shooting Case 'GUILTY WITH RECOMMENDATION TO MERCY Press Association —Copyright . < Christchurch, May 5. The Supreme Court was engaged today with the re-trial of Myrtle Long, a . married woman, of Cashmere Hills, who was found guilty of firing a revolver at Arthur Henry Way on March 25 with indent to do grievous bodily harm. The jury added a strong recommendation for mercy on account of extreme provocation.

"It has been said that this case is of the greatest importance to the parties concerned; I agree, but it is of much more importance to the general public of New Zealand and for your verdict ioday. It will go forth from Christchurch whether a person can shoot another who refuses to leave his or her house when requested," said Mr. Justice MacGregor when summing up to the jury. After a retirement of 75 minutes the jury returned a verdict of guilty with a Strong recommendation to mercy on account of extreme provocation and mental distress. The jury also suggested that Mrs. Long should be in some way protected from further molestation by Way. •His Honour, referring to Way in the summing up said: "Way is a worthless creature who has sponged on the woman for years and made her life a misery, but that does not excuse shooting. It might in some of the Western States of America but not here. What conclusion would you have come to had the woman shot the man in the heart instead of in -the arm? You might accompany your verdict with a recommendation to mercy, and I will act upon it. No doubt you share with me the feeling of disgust at the conduct of the man Way, but that cannot be allowed to stand in the way of. justice."

The Crown Prosecutor in the first trial said the accused was separated from her husband and Way had been employed in a business conducted by her. When arrested the accused made a statement ' in which she said that Way owed her a considerable sum of money and had always pestered her for help. In the evening in question he was under the •influence of liquor and pushed past her into the house. He asked for more money and was refused. Revolver for Protection She kept a revolver, she said, for protection from Way. She kept it only in ■fear of Way. She told him that she would shoot him if he did not go away. When he would not go away, the statement added, she opened the door and fired. She did not know how she missed. She meant to hit him, though not to kill him. She only wanted to do something to make him go out of her life. Arthur Henry Way, a married man living apart from his wife, said that he was a salesman. He was previously employed by the Home Supply Company, in which the accused and her husband were shareholders. Since Mr. Long went away witness was occasionally employed by the accused as a salesman on commission. Witness admitted the accuracy of all but one of a list of LO.U.'s and financial arrangements between himself and the accused. ' "I was invited to Mrs. Long's house on March 25," said Way. "The call ..was both friendly and on business. We discussed money matters, the amount I owed her, and commissions. When the 1.0.U.'s were discussed there was an argument. I started to leave at 12 o'clock. I got to the front door; after that I don't remember. I just heard the report of a gun and then woke up in hospital. I do not know how far away the report was. I was injured." Giving evidence under cross-examina-tion in the second trial to-aay, Way reruseQ to answer a question concerning an 1.6. U. for £42 of which he had claimed the privilege. He denied that he had been under the influence of liquor on March 25. Questioned by counsel for the accused regarding his return to the Cashmere Hills house on the Monday following the shooting, Way said: "I went back to find out what had happened and the detectives caught me and charged me with being a rogue and vagabond. I got 14 ■days on top of five shots and my business was broken up and my home broken up. Oh, I'm the injured party all right; my credit has gone after all the Press reports." Counsel: "Perhaps it's just as well."