MAN AND WIFE INJURED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 3, 5 January 1944, Page 3

MAN AND WIFE INJURED

BOTH SUFFER KNIFE WOUNDS SPECIAL COURT SITTING (P.A.) Auckland. Jan. 4. Because of the dangerous condition of Mrs. Elsie Evelyn Merrick, aged 33, who was admitted to the Auckland Hospital from New Lynn yesterday suffering frcm wounds inflicted by a sharp knife, a special Court sit-ing was held in a small room near Ward Five to-day, being presided over by the magistrate, Mr. Levien. Mrs. Merrick, on a hospital bed, was able to give evidence between gasps, while opposite her bn another bed was her husband, Charles Henry Merrick, a seaman, aged 29, who was charged with attempting to murder her at New Lynn. Sergent P. Kearnev represented the police. The first witness. Dr. F. P. Fuikett, said he had operated on Mrs. Merrick immediately she was admitted. She had stab wounds which . had penetrated parts of her body, including the heart. She was dangerously ill, but in his opinion capable of giving evidence. .

Mrs. Merrick said in evidence that she married accused two years ago last November. She had been living with a sister at New Lynn. Prior to a month ago she was working in a grocer’s shop at Plimmerton. Yesterday. he had followed her from the bathroom to a bedroom and would not go away. She said he was very nasty to her and “just went mad. He pulled out a raozr or knife.” Witness was pushed and fell on a bed. Her husband kicked her or put his hand on her chest and made swift slashes at her with the knife or razor two or three times. She could feei the instrument touching her below the breast. Her sister ran to get help. Witness jumped out of a window and caught up with her sister at the front gate. She was bleeding terribly. Along the street they met some people. To Detective Kearney, Mrs. Merrick said her husband threatened he would kill her. He’d made previous threats to kill her. People in Wellington said that when he came back he was around hotels saying he was going to kill her, but when she told him he said it was all a lie. Her husband went away on a ship in January, 1943, and returned in October or November last. .. , . The husband was also admitted to hospital yesterday with knife wounds on the body. Mrs. Merrick was cross-examined by her husband, who put his questions through Detective-Sergeant Kearney. I want to know who you were living with while I was out of New Zealand? asked accused.—l was living with a sergeant, replied Mrs. Merrick, who gave the name of the serviceman th°n at Wellington. Were you using the name of Mrs? asked accused. —Yes, said Mrs. Merrick. What sort of life did you lead before you met the sergeant? was the next question.—l was with (mentioning the same serviceman) after you left and I did not have much time to lead any other sort of life, she answered. Isn’t it true I caught you with opium in your possession?—That is perfectly true. I was an opium addict for years and you knew it. When vou came home this time you brought a bottle of raw opium . and mixed water with it and made it into liquid. At. this stage Mrs. Merrick appeared fatigued and the proceedings were adjourned until 4 o’clock. At the resumption Mr. Aekins appeared as counsel for the accused. Cross-examined Mrs. Merrick said she was formerly the wife of a Chinese, Joe Suh. Witness described visiting a woman friend and having a smoke and return visits by the woman. Accused, too, had tried smoking opium. It. was not true that he gave her all his wages. Although he had sent her a lot of money while overseas she had spent that money on opium. Previously it had cost £1 a packet in Wellington, but the cost now was £3 a packet. Witness had been arrested for opium offences, drunkenness and for obscene language. To counsel witness said she lived with the sergeant only from June, 1943. Accused had threatened to harm the sergeant and had always adopted a threatening attitude to witness, trying to force her to go back to him. Everyone had told her accused was running round with a knife in Wellington. As soon as he came back she told him in the house at New Lynn she would not go back to him. He knew he had stabbed me and it is quite correct to describe him as having gone mad. witness said. The Court was adjourned, accused being remanded until January 24.