Transcription of the newspaper clipping text as featured on the Otago Daily Times 100 years ago (from what appears to be a 1926 New Zealand trial report, likely from the NZ Truth or similar, covering the case of Mrs. Ellen Hart in Dunedin/Roslyn, who was charged with murdering her three children—Lindsay (5), Andrew (4), and Nola (15 months)—on November 9, 1925, with an insanity defense):
ACCUSED, who had to be assisted into the dock, wore a neat blue costume with a black toque pulled well down over her face.
On the Judge giving permission for her to be seated, she sank limply onto the form, and bent forward in such a way as to be out of sight of those in the body of the court.
She toyed nervously with her handkerchief throughout the trial, and used it frequently with tear-drenched eyes.
For the defence Mr. J. B. Callan did not exercise his right of challenge, but the Crown did so in three instances.
"One couldn't imagine anything more shocking than the ghastly crime—a mother killing her own children," said the Crown Prosecutor in opening.
The only possible defence was that of insanity, and the life of the accused might depend on that point.
The Act stated that "everyone is presumed to have been sane at the time of committing an offence until the contrary is proved," and the jury would have to concentrate on the accused's mental condition.
Was it a conscious act? Did Mrs. Hart consciously know that she was killing her children, and did she know it was a criminally wrong thing?
Solely for the purposes of observation accused had been taken to Seacliff Mental Hospital, and the full facts concerning the results of that observation would be placed before the jury to help them in coming to a decision.
"I've Killed My Kids"
The first witness called was Margaret Upton, who has been a neighbor of the Harts in Brighton Street, Roslyn, for 14 months.
On the morning of November 9 last she heard something falling on the roof not long after 8 o'clock.
On going out of the back door she heard Mrs. Hart calling out: "Mrs. Upton, Mrs. Upton!"
Witness ran to the fence, and on inquiring what the trouble was, got the answer: "Come quickly."
Mrs. Upton ran round into Hart's place and saw Mrs. Hart leaning against the door on the back landing.
She had a man's coat over her shoulders, there was blood on her face, and her stockings, while on her neck there were three slight wounds.
When asked what she had done she said: "I've killed my kids; yes, the whole lot of them, and I did love the whole lot of them."
When taken from the scene of the tragedy into Mrs. Upton's home she said: "We had an argument last night. He told me that he did not want me. When I asked couldn't stay on his terms," she replied: "Wilkie Road, Kensington; but I left a note."
She also said: "I suppose I'll hang for this."
Mrs. Upton and her husband then went into the Harts' house, and what they saw made them sick with horror.
Strapped in its pram in the front room was the 15-months-old baby, Nola, dead from a terrible wound on the throat.
Huddled together on the kitchen floor were Andrew, aged 4, and Lindsay, aged 5, with wounds in their throats similar to that inflicted on the baby.
"What impression did Mrs. Hart give you as a mother?" asked Mr. Callan of witness, who replied that "She seemed to be very fond of her children."
The first witness called by the defence was Dr. Hall, a specialist in eye, ear, and throat diseases.
He examined Mrs. Hart on February 6. He found that she had non-standard vision. The right eye had lost nearly half of its visual efficiency, while the left one had lost 15 per cent.