STRONVAR MURDER.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1789, 7 November 1919, Page 11

STRONVAR MURDER.

RESIDE ON TRIAL. Press Association. WELLINGTON, November 7. The Supreme Court trial commenced to-day of James Reside, a returned soldier, on a charge of murdering Christopher Carr at Stronvar, Wairarapa, on September 6. His Honour Mr Justice Chapman was on the bench. Mr P. S. K. Macassey appeared for the Crown, and Mr T. M. Wilford and Mr Pragnell for the defence.

Mr Macassey, in opening the case, said the defence would be that the accused was of unsound mind when he committed the murder. The evidence was given on similar lines to that in the Lower Court and at the inquest. Alexander Reside", father of the accused, asked by the Judge if his son was queer before he went to the Front, said: "Yes, your Honour. He went tho same way as his mother." Mr Wilford said it would be proved that the mother was in a mental hospital. Witness, cross-examined, said his son had an idea that Carr was in league with someone outside with a bomb to blow them up. The bomb idea was continually in his mind. Accused, prior to going to the War, had a despondent tendency, and on one occasion gave himself up to the police at Masterton to prevent himself from committing suicide. Accused's mother's aunt was mentally affected. Accused left with the 40th Reinforcement and went through the terrible epidemic experienced on the Tahiti after that vessel left Sierra Leone. Mr Wilford said . the defence ' was that, under section 53 of the Crimes Act, prisoner was free from responsibility of his action. Accused was suffering from specific delusions. Doctors had talked with him in gaol, and had all come separately to the same conclusion—that accused was not accountable for what he had done. He was suffering from a mental disease known as paranoia. Doctors Fyfe, Gow, Prins and Litchfield gave evidence that they found accused to be a man who did not appear' to»ienlise his position. He suffered from delusions, and laughed at his offence.