OPOTIKI TRAGEDY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19786, 9 March 1927, Page 4

OPOTIKI TRAGEDY

TRIAL OF SULLIVAN ACCUSED’S MENTAL j .4 (Per Press Association.? GISBORNE, March 8. A surprise was sprung during th 4 Opotiki murder trial to-day, when tho first witness for the defence, Arthuf O’Keefe, identified tho accused unde'i the name of Joseph O’Keefe. Accused is the youngest of a family of seven. Prior to her death, th< mother was slightly troubled mentally* Accused was never intelligent, and wag poorly educated. As a youth (accused had been struck on the head by his brother, and as a result was in Plymouth Hospital for several Another brother was in Avondale Asy-» lum. In opening the case for the defenca, counsel said that evidence would ba called to show that accused had always been subject to recurring fits of mania* He suffered from hereditary unsoundness since boyhood, and this marked him for some such final tragedy as nowj confronted him. A combination of this hereditary trait and excessive indulgence in liquor caused him to becomtf unbalanced land unable to appreciate what he was doing. Howard Stockdale Hipkin, a station hand, said he know accused as Sullivan well. Sullivan was always fidgety and highly strung and his talk was ramb« ling and irrational. He and Williamson were always the best of friends. Julius Claud© McGregor, manager d Hoata station, gavo evidence On what similar lines, and added had held grave doubts as to prisoner If mentality. His methods of work wen irregular and so was his talk. He woul4 run where another man would walfc even on steep bush country. Medical Opinions. Dr. Bowie, of Gisborne, said he hai examined accused in gaol and had formed a poor opinion of his mentality. Accused was highly erratic and un- ( educated. In reply to questions witness said he* thought that at the time of the tragedy accused did hot know what he was doing. Dr. R. M. Beattie, late superintendent of Avondale mental hospital, stated that Charles O ’Keefe, who was a brother of Sullivan’s, had been an inmate of the institution suffering from chronic mania and at the slightest provocation became dangerous. Witness had examined Sullivan in Mt. Eden' gaol and in his opinion Sullivan was fighting drunk at the time of the tragedy. Sullivan told witness he had not recollection of events until consciousness began to awaken hinu Witness had come to the conclusion that when Sullivan attacked Williamson he did not know the act was wrong. He could not have been insane at the time as his recovery would not have been se rapid. It was due to a mania of alcoholism, which was closely allied to lirium tremeas.

The Crown called in rebuttal Dr. CL Teusley, medical officer of Mt. Edea gaol, who said he had examined Sullivan on many occasions and found hie conduct that of an average man. Sullivan was a highly excitable and urn stable individual, but under ordinary conditions was normal, though of low grade intellectually. Counsel will address the jury to-mcn* row morning.