A FATHER’S CRIME.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16353, 16 February 1921, Page 4

A FATHER’S CRIME.

CONVICTED OF MANSLAUGHTER, [Per Press Association.j AUCKLAND, February 15, The second murder charge in the criminal sessions calendar was taken to-day before Mr Justice Stringer and a jury at the Supreme Court, when Thomas Needham, an elderly farmer, was tried for the alleged murder of liis son, William Rawlins Needham, aged seventeen, on January 16. Mr Meredith, Crown Prosecutor, appeared ior the Crown, and the defence wa» conducted by Messrs Endean and Hubbnnd. A plea of not- guilty was tendered. Mr Meredith said that accused mad© a savage attack on the lad. practically battering his skull to bits. Tho tragedy took place on accused’s farm at Marohemo, at which there were living accused, bis wife, two daughters, the deceased son and a lady visitor. Counsel said that after the attack accused asked one of his daughters to shoot him. Latei\ he cut liis throat and jumped into a well. He climbed out again and a neighbour persuaded him to go to bed. “ Billie swore at rue.” was the statement Needham afterwards made to his daughter, when she asked why he had made the attack, continued counsel. Then accused added: “I am sorrv, girl, that I have brought you to this. Give me some poison.” Winifred Edna Needham, twenty years of age. said that during milking on the morning of the occurrence her father, tho accused, exclaimed to her brother: “ You little we. won’t get finished this morning You are a lot. of .” Latei* when her father and her brother were in the separating room she suddenly heard accused shout. “Down von . 1 have got von at last,” and lie shrieked and veiled and hissed. Witness rushed in and saw her 1 brother on the floor with a gash on his head, and her father striking him with a long weapon. Witness yelled until . those, in the house heard. She returned ; to the separating room, where she saw j that her brother’s head had been bat- ; tered about. Her father bad gone out j and she nut her apron under the box’s 1 head, as lie was still breathing, j Accused wept during part of his J daughter’s evidence. j Cross-examined the girl said her father was sixty-six years of age. She had heard that at tho age of .eleven in England her father fell from a tree, ! severely cutting his face, and also suf- ! fered from sunstroke at the age of twenty-nine. About three years ago he had received a blow on the head from a shackle-pin. At times her ) father was far from normal, and his j behaviour and conduct had been such j that one member of the family thought ! be. should be examined .by a doctor. | Before Christmas he was actually sent j to town to be examined by a dor-tor, i but he went to a chemist’s instead. After further evidence the case for I the defence was taken. Air Endean, ad- | dressing the jury, said -that medical ; evidence would he given as to accused’s | mental condition. Even if that were not accepted it. was open to the jury to | sav that there had been sufficient provohis self-control. Such a finding would reduce the charge to one of man- | slaughter. Airs Needham, accused’s wife, said | she had been married nearly forty I years. Her husband suffered from | irritability and delusions. She corroborI a ted her daughter’s statements as to his I strange conduct. j Three, doctors w-ere called and stated j that in their opinion accused was sub- | jest to fits of insanity. : The prosecution called thre© doctors j who gave evidence in rebuttal. After a retirement of an hour and a half the jury returend a verdict of guilty of manslaughter, with a strong recommendation to mercy on account of accused’s age. and temperament. Sentence was deferred-