MURDER AT OAMARU
YOUNG GIRL KILLED.
FATHER'S SUPPOSED CRIME.
ATTACKED IN THE NIGHT.
(Per Press Association.) OAMARU, This Day.
A girl, Elsie Hoad, daughter of Reginald Hoad, a labourer, was stabbed to death last night at her father's camp at Five Forks. Hoad was brought into hospital with wounds, which are not serious. Hoad, who is 39 years old married, with 10 children, resided at Kiaora. Some of the children, including the eldest daughter, Elsie, aged 17, slept together. During the night, Hoad, who suffered from insomnia, entered their room and, it is alleged, struck Elsie twice with a tomahawk. The children's screams aroused their mother, who rushed in and seized the tomahawk. While Mrs Hoad was sending her sons for the police, Hoad took a rifle and, it is stated, shot his daughter, who had probably died from the effects of the first attack.
Hoad disappeared, but subsequently went to a neighbour's house and shot himself with a rifle outside their premises. He told a neighbour that he had met with an accident. The neighbour conveyed him to the Oamaru Hospital by car. Hoad had always shown marked affection for the murdered girl. He appears to have developed a jealous mania, for he would not permit her to have associates or to leave her home for a temporary holiday. No reason is assigned for the crime. -Ashburton Guardian, 3/4/1925.
THE OAMARU TRAGEDY
STATEMENT OF SISTER.
INQUEST OPENED AND ADJOURNED.
(Per United Press Association.) OAMARU, April 4.
In connection with the murder at Kia Ora, Myrtle Hoad, the sixteen-year-old sister of deceased, stated that she has been working for a neighbouring farmer (Mr Cowan), but going home to sleep. She slept with her sisters Elsie and Eunice in a room just off the kitchen. Their father was outside when they went to bed. She did not sleep well, while Elsie appeared to be sleeping soundly. Her father had toothache all the previous day, and she heard him moving about in the kitchen. She saw him come into the room twice with a light and go out again. This act did not cause her any concern, as he sometimes paid a visit such as this. She went to sleep about 2 a.m., and was awakened about an hour later by a scream from Elsie. She saw her father standing back from the bed with the tomahawk in his hand. She screamed, and her mother came running in, and took the tomahawk from her father. She ran into the kitchen, and her mother told her to go for the police. She went to a neighbour (Mr McDonald's), and told him what had happened. Her father was quick-tempered, but never used any violence towards the mother and children. He was a bad sleeper, and would stay up at night and wander about the house. He would not let Elsie go to work. Elsie was a quiet girl, who never gave any trouble. The inquest on the murdered girl, Elsie Hoad, was formally opened this morning and adjourned till Thursday. -Southland Times, 6/4/1925.
THE OAMARU TRAGEDY
FATHER SENT FOR TRIAL.
DID NOT REALISE HAPPENING
(Per Press Association) OAMARU, April 10.
At the inquest touching the death of Hazel Hoad, the victim of the Kia Ora tragedy, the Coroner returned the following verdict: — “The deceased, Elsie Hazel Hoad, died at her father’s residence on April 3. Death was due to shock caused by injuries to the brain and skull, hastened by a bullet wound in the left side of the thorax. The injuries to the brain and skull were inflicted by Reginald Hoad with a tomahawk.”
At the conclusion of the inquest Reginald Hoad was charged with murder.
Prisoner had been seated in the prisoner’s dock during the hearing of the evidence at the inquest, and appeared to display no interest in the proceedings.
Asked by the Bench if he had anything to say, accused said he could not realise yet what had happened. He had a poor recollection of what had happened for three days preceding the tragedy.
The Magistrate: I do not wish to stop you from saying anything more, but do you wish to say anything further?
Accused: No.
Accused was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court in Timaru on May 5. He was removed from the prisoners’ dock in apparently a half-dazed condition. -Ashburton Guardian, 11/4/1925.
NOT GUILTY.
THE KIA ORA TRAGEDY.
HOAD FOUND INSANE.
TIMARU, May 5.
The trial of Reginald Hoad, for the murder of his daughter, Elsie Hazel Hoad, at Kia Ora, was commenced at the Supreme Court this afternoon. Mr Campbell appeared for the Crown, and Mr F. W. Ongley (Oamaru), appeared for accused. Mr Campbell outlined the case at length.
A plea of not guilty was entered.
The first witness was Myrtle Hoad, sister of the murdered girl, who slept in the same room. She related how her father had come into the room on several occasions during that night. About three o’clock she was awakened by her sister screaming. Witness saw her sister covered with blood and her father standing by holding what she took to be an axe, but which she afterwards discovered was a tomahawk. Witness had formed the opinion that for some time her father had been becoming morose.
Evidence of Jealousy.
Cross-examined by Mr Ongley, witness said on one night her father had sat watching the door of Elsie’s room the whole night. He was never satisfied that she had not gone out and had dug the ground outside Elsie’s window for the purpose of tracing footsteps. Witness had never seen any marks to indicate that Elsie had gone out and was satisfied that she had never done so. Her mother had offered to sleep with Elsie in order to allay her father’s suspicion, but he did not agree to this. On the night before the tragedy her father had said he saw a man with a torch on the road in front of the house. He had told witness he saw the man reading a note which he said Elsie had left for him. Accused had said he supposed Elsie had written that because she was unable to come out. Witness said that her sister had left no note, nor was there a man there.
Mr Ongley: Were men allowed to come to your place? — Men came about the place, but they were never allowed to come into the house.
Were they allowed to see Elsie or speak to her? — No.
You mean to say that for over 12 months no man was allowed to speak to Elsie? — That is so.
What about the grocer? — Elsie was not allowed to speak to him.
Were any of your relations allowed to come? — One uncle did.
What about the other boys? — When they saw they were not wanted they never came.
Were the younger boys not allowed to come? — No.
Not even your cousin, Charlie Kay? — No.
How old was he? — About eleven.
A little boy of eleven not allowed to come because he might be running after your sister? — That is correct.
At one time your father used to sit by the fire in the evenings and talk. What did he do lately? —Just walk about and smoke outside.
By himself? — Yes.
Just walking aimlessly about? — Yes.
You had noticed that he was getting worse lately? — Yes.
Had you discussed among yourselves the question of seeing the police? — Yes.
You decided to let go on in case he should improve? — Yes.
Latterly, was Elsie allowed to speak even to her own brothers? — Only at table.
Apart from these things, he was quite kind and good to you all, was he not? — Yes, exceptionally good.
Is it a fact that your father was screaming out when he woke you that night? — Yes, he was screaming “Get out!”
Other Evidence
Maurice Hoad, aged 13, a son of the accused, also gave evidence.
James Wilson, farmer, of Totara, related how Hoad had come to his place on the morning of the tragedy, suffering from a wound in the head. He said he had met with an accident, and told witness to hurry up or he might be too late. Some time afterwards he said that the ground was pretty dry and hard where he working, and a little later said: “Keep back a bit, or you will get covered with dust.” He evidently thought he was digging potatoes, and was speaking to an imaginary boy who was picking up for him. He also said one of the children had stuck him with a fork.
Dr. R. E. Fitzgerald, of Oamaru, said he had seen Hoad about 5 a.m. on the day of the tragedy. He was suffering from a wound in the forehead, and seemed very dazed. When asked how he had got the wound he said he had fallen off his bicycle. Witness sent accused to the hospital. When he examined him he found a wound in the forehead, clear at the lower end and ragged at the top. There was no fracture of the skull, and the wound was blackened at the lower end. It would be caused by a bullet from the rifle produced. Accused had been under witness’s care in the hospital for at least a week, and his mental condition had been verging on melancholia. He had wept every day, and it had been very difficult to get him to take any food. He appeared to witness to he showing signs of acute remorse.
Constable Trethewey, giving evidence as to arresting Hoad, said that accused, on being charged, had said: “Which one?” Witness replied, “Elsie,” and accused had said that it could not be. He had said that he did not remember what he had been doing that night. Witness had a revolver in his pocket, and Hoad, seeing it, asked witness whether, if he jumped out of the window, witness would shoot him. “I have nothing more to live for now,” lie said. Accused had a razor case in his pocket, and said that it was the razor he shaved with. “I must have meant business,” he added. Accused said he had been suffering from neuralgia, and also told witness that he had sharpened all the axes and knives at his home the day prior to the tragedy, but did not remember why he had done so.
Medical Evidence for Defence.
Mr Ongley said that he wished to compliment the Crown on the attitude it had taken up over the case. He had not expected to defend it, but had been advised by the Crown that it was worth defending if it could he proved that Hoad was insane at the time of the murder. Expert medical evidence had been placed at his disposal, and instead of addressing the jury at length he would content Himself with calling the evidence of the experts referred to.
Dr. A. C. McKillop, medical superintendent of Sunnyside Mental Hospital, said, in reply to Mr Campbell, that he thought that accused was at the time of the tragedy incapable of understanding the nature and quality of his act or that the act was wrong. Dr. F. A. Ulrich corroborated the evidence of the previous witness.
Counsel did not address the jury, which retired at 4.18 p.m., and returned 15 minutes later. Their replies to the questions submitted by the Judge were as follow: (1) The prisoner was not guilty of murder. (2) He was insane at the time of his act. (3) He was acquitted on the grounds of insanity.
His Honor therefore ordered the prisoner to be committed to Sunnyside Mental Hospital to await the pleasure of the Minister of Justice. -Ashburton Guardian, 6/5/1925.
"Awaiting the pleasure of the Minister of Justice" effectively meant a life sentence inthe Hospital, unless someone could convince the Minister that the patient was no threat to themself or others. Hazel Hoad was buried in the Oamaru Cemetery. None of her family seem to be in the same ground.
A Reginald Hoad lies in Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch. He died on August 3rd, 1942, aged 56.
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