WIFE'S RAZOR WOUNDS.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17412, 26 May 1928, Page 14 (Supplement)

WIFE'S RAZOR WOUNDS.

CHARGES AGAINST HUSBAND

DISTRESSING COURT SCENES

There were several painful scenes during the hearing of a case at. Hud- ] dersfield, in which a young man, liv- j ing apart from his wife, was charged j wilh attempting lo murder her. and to take his own life. While giving evidence the wife was greatly distressed, and eventually collapsed. Her mother, on the point of fainting, murmured, " Poor Dot, f can't, get to her," and was laken out. of the court. Accused, Walter Arroll Rattye, 27. moulder, of Lockwood-road, hurst into tears several times, and when committed for trial, left the dock under Stress of Great Emotion. According to Mr Arthur Hinchcliffe, who appeared for the prosecution, husband and wife were separated by order of the magistrates in December last. This appeared to have preyed a great deal on prisoner's mind. On February 28 Mrs Battye was about to enter the Palace Theatre when she | saw her husband, who was with a man named William Day. Prisoner went across to speak to his wife, hut she declined to have any conversation with him. He then returned to his friend Day, and the two entered a public-house, they spent a couple of hours or so. During the time thev were in the public-house, prisoner pulled out a wallet, from which he took a razor, and he told Dav that if he found his wife " carrying on," or if he caught her with another man, he would not only■ do her in," but would do himself in Leaving the theatre, the wife boarded a tramcar to go home, and just before the arrival of the tram at the stoppingplace in Marsden-road. was astonished to sco her husband descend from the upper deck and get off the tram whilst it was in motion. Mrs Battye was about to go along n passage to her home when.he husband sprang out seized her by the throat, and pulled her to the ground. She felt Something Cut H*r Face and Neck, and she struggled and screamed. Mrs Battvo's brother, Harold Chappcll, who lived close by, heard her, and ran into the passage, where he found prisoner and his wife struggling. He pushed nrisoner away, and the man ran off. S'oo afterwards Battye -as found by the police with his own -throat cut. lie was conveyed to the Royal Infirmary, where he had to remain for

some time. When charged, prisoner declared that his wife had mine by her injuries through grabbing at. the razor whilst he was attempting to take his own life. According to Dr. fiilmore there were eight, incised wounds on the upper part or the woman's body, none penetrating deeply into the (lesh. Prisoner, when received into the Infirmary, had a deep throat wound four inches in length, obviously self-inflicted, in the opinion of Dr. Cireon, the house-sur-geon. Though smelling of intoxicants, prisoner was considered sober. Mhs Baltye slated that yhen her husband attacked her she called out,

“ Oh, Walter, if you will leave me alone 1 will come back to-morrow,” but he made no reply. Prisoner: When I produced the razor did l not say, “ If you don’t.come back to me I shall do myself in?" Mrs Rattye: No. Prisoner: When I said that you gripped the razor? Mrs Battye: No; only when you had it against my throat. William Day gave evidence that when prisoner produced the razor he told him not to be silly. lie did not remember any conversation about Mrs Battye having been with another man. In the witness-box Battye declared that, the razor would not have been near his wife's throat if she had not taken hold of it. She Fell over the Steps, I and he never touched her with his ; hands, nor did he kneel on her chest, i Mr Ilinchcliffe: Do you admit that ivou pulled oil the razor at the 1 Royal Hotel and showed it to your , friend Day. telling him that if you saw your wife with another man you would “ do both her and yourself in?” Prisoner: 1 did not. I said, lam fed up of women’s tales, and have a good mind to do myself in.” Battye also denied that he told his wife, "If I can’t have you nobody else will." whilst they were both standing he remarked, “ Well, if you are not going to come back, here goes,” I and produced the razor. She struggled ! to get possession of the razor, and in doing so fell over the steps. 1 Mr Ilinchcliffe: How do you account j for your wife having eight wounds? — I don’t know. { The magistrates certified for legal ) aid for prisoner at his trial.