WOMAN SHOOTS HUSBAND

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1934, Page 7

WOMAN SHOOTS HUSBAND

ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE SAID SHE DID NOT REMEMBER. boy witness of the shooting. COURT DEFERS ITS SENTENCE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The trial opened at the Supreme Court to-day of Mary Little, aged 49, charged with attempting to murder her husband at Pokeno on October 14. The Crown Prosecutor said tire woman was addicted to drink and was under the effects of drink about noon on October 14. The husband, angered by her condition, said he would have her prohibited. A boy in the house would say that he saw her point a shotgun at her husband in a passage. He heard the report and saw the husband with half his hand blown off. When the police arrived the woman told them the shooting was accidental. The first witness called was George Little, the accused . woman’s husband. Accused’s counsel said there was a grave question whether the husband could give evidence against his wife. The husband declined to give evidence, and it was for the . judge to decide whether he was compellable. After hearing the Crown Prosecutor, Mr. Justice Herdman told the jury he had decided that the husband was a competent witness, but in view of the decision of the Court of . Appeal and a similar . decision by the Court of Criminal Appeal in England his compellability was doubtful and he would- not be called unless he wished. His Honour added that he would reserve the point for the Court of Appeal. The next witness was then called. William Liddicoat, aged 12, said he lived wjth his uncle and aunt, Little and Mrs. Little, at Pokeno. The day prior to the occurrence he came home from school and saw that his aunt had been drinking. For some time that night he heard his uncle and aunt talking. His. uncle said something to the effect that "it had been going on too. long.” On October 14 he returned from an errand and saw some cartridges in a glass dish on a mantelpiece. A gun was standing with its muzzle on the ground. He had never seen it that way up before. THREAT OF "BLUE PAPER.” Little came in and Mrs. Little, who was lying down in the next room, something. Little said, "It’s all right; you will be receiving a piece of blue paper in a few days. I will have you at Pukekohe at half-past ten on Thursday.” Witness said his uncle went into the next room. Mrs. Little then came into the kitchen. Witness saw her picking up the gun. He was going out through the door and glanced back, when he saw she had the gun at her shoulder. The hammers were cocked. A few seconds afterward he heard the report of the gun, and Little ran out of the back door. Witness returned to the kitchen and saw Mrs. Little still standing there. He rang for a doctor. Mrs. Little, who entered the witness box to give evidence on her own behalf, said she had worked hard to help her husband. He was really, a good naan when not in a temper. The .shock of the 'gun going off had made her.forget until about six weeks after the incident what had happened, so that she had not been able to give an account of it for some time. Mrs. Little said she was in bed resting when her husband came into the house. She heard him “roaring” in the kitchen about the food. She got up and he seized her by the hair, knocking her down. He started kicking'her. Her hair came out and she got away somehow into the kitchen. She did not remember touching the gun, but she might have done so. She did not know it was loaded. ' After a retirement of an hour the jury returned with a verdict of guilty of assault so as to' cause actual bodily harm A rider was added recommending the accused to mercy. The sentence was deferred.