IN DEFENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 121, 24 May 1935, Page 8

IN DEFENCE.

ACCUSED SPEAKS.

TRIAL FOR MURDER

HOW DID MISS MADDEN DIE? ti LEFT ALONE ON TRACK. , ' i IBy Telegraph.—Press Association.) NAPIER, this day. On the fifth day of his trial, evidence on his own behalf was given to-day by Charles William Price, alias Edwards, teamster, aged 42, on the charge of murdering Evelyn Mary Madden, domestic, at Argyll Kast, on or about February l>. The trial is expected to end this evening or tomorrow morning. Further evidence was heard yesterday afternoon and again to-day. Mr. H. B. Lusk, with him Mr. L. W. Willis, appeared for Che Crown, and Mr. S. Averill, with him Mr. T. E. O'Dowd, represented accused. At tho conclusion of the Crown's case it waa announced that accused would go into the witness box in his own defence. Counsel for the defence said there had been many rumours, but the man's guilt could not be assumed; it had to be proved. The defence knew nothing aa to liow Mies Madden met her death. The last time she was eeen by accused «he was alive and reasonably well. The only difference between the case for the Crown and that for accused was what happened during the hour and 20 minutes after the couple left the car at Tahaki station. Miss Madden was anxione to know if the Hollis family was related to a Hollis family she knew in the Old Country. In crossing the hills she became ill, and both sat down. Later Miss Madden wanted to go to the Holli*.' home to look for a situation, but accused demurred, and she went on alone, accused agreeing to wait for 30 mimitee. Accused ■went to sleep, and on awaking he returned to the taxi. He would dsiiy telling Guild that he had been given £30 by Miss Madden. He repented being too quick, and next day went to Hastings to see if she had re tinned. He had visited the creek to get fresh water to mix with the gin when he was stopped by tho policeman. Accused then went into {he box end began to give evidence as outlined by his counsel. Gordon Hart, of Te Ante Hotel, said the accused offered a "fiver" on February 0 for drinks. Witness could not cash it. Accused had several drinks, •which did not seem to affect him, ultimately paying with smaller money. Sister's Evidence. Elizabeth Murphy, sister of the jaceused, said accused arrived at her house, at G. 30 on February 6 and made it his home until February 15. On February 7 accused said he wanted to collect suitcases at Hastings for his girl. On his return, two suitcases were placed in witness' cupboard. They were taken later by the police. There waa nothing .strange in her brother's behaviour. Accused had cut his hand on the beach by a bit of shell. Herbert Goodger, a postal clerk, said a money order telegram sent to Mise Madden at the Girls' Friendly Society wan not claimed. David Marshall said the accused took up work on hia farm on February. 15. Next day Price left to visit Baylis to purchase a horse.

Witness told hk Honor that accused "was to start work the following Monday, and until then the time was his own. To counsel for the defence witness eaid that he had not told accused in Napier that he had trouble with men leaving at night time. William Watson, railway clerk, said accused signed for a kitbag with the same "E. Edwards." Charles Copeland gave evidence concurring in the similarity of materials end clothes worn by accused. Statements Made to Detectives. Detective B. Farquaraon, of Hastings, said that on February 15 he went to the pool where the body was. A short distance away he found* an upper denture. Ho found no signe of a struggle. Between February C and February 15 there had been rain, and a fresh growth of grass prevented him from seeing any marks on the ground. On the morning on February 10 he went with DetectiveSergeant Bickerdike to the locality, \vhere tiiey met two constables, Baylis, and accused. Accused was told they were inquiring into the death of Miss Madden, said witness. Price said he knew her and had taken her to a house in Heretaunga Street, Hastings, and left her there, on February 4. Later, when accused nnd the police were on the way back to Hastings, accused said Miss Madden had looked at a room in a Heretaunga Street house, but had not liked it. Late that night Price was arrested and charged with murder. When the charge was read, said witness, accused mumbled something about Miss Madden and .then, in a louder tone, said, "Fire ahead."

On February 23 the police recovered from a cut ulirub npnr the pool a woman'* Wrie coat, which lin.l wrapped" in it a bandtmg and a shoe. There was no money in tlio handbag. These were fctentfffed by Mi-<H Jamlesoii ne belonged to MIM Madden. Witness found a fiiwfi of timber about 2ft Oin Ion;;, 4in wide, and lin thick, standing in the pool clone to where the body was. Teebt were carried out to see whether anyone screaming at the waterhole Could be heard at the ploughman's camp, but not a sound was heard. There was no outcrop of stones in the vicinity on which people could fall from a height. There were some fairly large limestone rocks near the pool, but on these being examined, even with microscopes, there were no truces of blood or human hair. Detective - Sergeant Blckerdike said Pried told him there was no woman in the car on the trip to Taheke. Accused described the man who drove him on that occasion, but denied that there was a woman in the car* James North Lowry, who was recalled this morning, said accused was a particularly kind man to animals, especially corses. Herbert Coddtagton, detective, was the aVtan^i" 1 oa " cd by thc Cr °Vn. He arro«t O f 6 CV ? te W,lich lwl the ™"y 10. WBed °" thc ni S ht of . .Proceeding.).