WOMAN STABBED IN CHEST

Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22185, 31 January 1942, Page 8

WOMAN STABBED IN CHEST

Husband Committed For Trial Accused Of Attempted Murder (P.A,) AUCKLAND, January 30. A statement made by William Weir, a 20-year-old labourer, accused of attempting to murder his wife, Phyllis Rose Weir, at Otahuhu on January 14, was an exhibit when the Lower Court hearing of the case was concluded before Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M. Mr Aekins represented the accused and Detective-Sergeant Walsh conducted the prosecution. The evidence of the wife was taken at two sittings of the Court at the Auckland Hospital. Frederick Craft, a liftman, said he was walking along the Great South Road at 7.23 p.m. when his attention was attracted by a scream. He turned round and saw a man and a woman scuffling on the footpath. The man’s hand then came up above his head and thrust downward toward the woman. Afterward ft looked as if the man felt sorry for what he had done and was trying to make amends. Charles McGonnell, a labourer, said he heard a woman scream and at that the man who was carrying her dropped her on the kerb. The accused w'as the man seen by witness. “I asked him what he was doing,” witness continued, “and he said ‘I am a murderer. I have just stabbed a woman.’ He twice repeated he w'as a murderer and said he was going to. the police.” Accused threw something into a section and witness later saw a knife sheath found there. Constable Shipman said the accused came into the Otahuhu watchhouse, leaned on the counter and said: “I have just stuck a knife into her. I don’t know why I did it.” He then collapsed on the floor in a semi-conscious condition. The finding of a bloodstained knife was described by Constable Craigie. Saw Knife Used Edna McQuoid, of Great South Road, said she was on the other side of the road when she heard Mrs Weir screaming and then saw the accused stick a knife into her. She knew both of them. The accused afterward called to a girl to look after his wife while he went for a doctor.

Detective-Sergeant Brady said the accused was normal when seen at 9 o’clock the same night. Witness told the accused he had just come from his wife who had said the accused stabbed her in the chest. The accused then asked if she was going to die. He admitted that the knife was his property and witness took a statement from him. In answer to counsel, witness said the accused had a seizure in the police station on the morning of the first hearing. Alleging that he had evidence of his wife’s misconduct and other statements about their domestic troubles comprised the first portion of the accused’s statement. By Inventing a story about a letter he got her to meet him near the schoolgrounds at 7 p.m. on January 14. and before leaving his house he put his knife in an inside pocket. He had about five beers that day. The knife was only intended to frighten her into a confession of her misconduct, which had been worrying him. If she had confessed he would have felt happier and would have taken her back. Lost Control “I lost control of myself when she refused to come into the schoolgrounds,” the statement’ continued. “I pulled the knife out and stabbed her in the chest. I only stabbed her once. She screamed and I pulled the knife out. She ran across the road and I ran and held her 4n my arms. I told her I would get a doctor, and when I let her go she ran into Jacobs’s house. I went to the station and told the constable I had just stabbed my wife. I still love my wife, and it was only worry about her that made me lose control and stab her. I meant just to show her the knife and the business was just meant to be bluff on my part.” The accused then pleaded not guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.