HAMILTON TRAGEDY

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXI, Issue 2780, 26 November 1931, Page 5

HAMILTON TRAGEDY

SMITH ON TRIAL. PLEA OF NOT GUILTY. Arthur Walter Smith, aged 50, who was charged before Mr Justice Herdman, in tho Hamilton Supreme Court on Tuosday with murdering his wife, Lois Alexandra Smith, aged 29, pleaded not guilty. The Crown solicitor stated that the defence would plead that accused was not guilty, on the grounds of insanity. In opening the case for the Crown, he outlined the occurences during the evening of ttho tragedy, on October 3, and then read from .Smith's own statement of what occurred, and said that this account was not correct. Dr A. G. Waddell gave evidence in connection with tho causes of Mrs Smith's death. Constable E. D. Frazer described the finding of the blood stained pocket knife, a note on accused’s clothes clothes, also a will. Letters dated September 18 and 20, written by accused from North Auckland to his wife were read and letters written by Mrs Smith to her husband were also read. Several other witnesses were called and gave evidence much on the same lines as was heard in the Magistrate's Court. Dr M. H. Hockin, medical superintendent of the Waikato Hospital, said that while Smith was in the institution lie had told him that lie was unable to control the impulse to kill his wife, and witness considered he was speaking the truth. There was an absence of remorse and regret regarding his wife's death. Dr John Williams, superintendent of the Porirua Mental Hospital, mid Smith in his opinion was a man not up to normal in his mental make-up, by which he meant that he might stand a certain amount of social and economic strain, but that a breaking point was reached sooner in him than in the case of a normal man. Dr Williams considered that at the time of the act Smith was suffering from neurosis or minor insanity. " At the conclusion of further evidence the Court was adjourned till to-day.