FORMER FRIENDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 138, 12 June 1936, Page 9

FORMER FRIENDS.

FIRST WITNESSES.

CASE FOR THE DEFENCE.

TAKING OF TABLETS

Two now witnesses were called yesterday l).v counsel for the defence. As indicated by Mr. O'Lenry in liis opening address in the morning, they were residents of Australia—Mr. Alexander P. Whitington, of Adelaide, and Miss Jane Riano Neil, of Melbourne —who had been friends of Mrs. Marco for some time The first witness told how he had seen her taking white tablets on occasions when she was doing stage workin Australia. The first of the defencc witnesses Alexander Peter Whitington, was called when tho Court resumed. Witness said he was an accountant living at Adelaide. He had never seen Mareo before. He became acquainted with a young woman named Tlielma Trott towards the end of 1928. She was appearing in musical comedy at an Adelaide theatre fc~ some month's. He became friendly with her. On occasions he accompanied her to her hotel room in Adelaide. About the first occasion 011 which he had supper with her at her hotel room lie saw Iter taking white pills from a bottle with veronal on the label. Witness remarked, as near as ho could remember, " What are j'ou taking those things for?" She had replied, "I find it hard to sleep." Witness said he thought she was very foolish and should go to see a doctor. Ho could not say how many tablets she took. She placed the tablet or tablets in her mouth and took a drink of milk. He saw her taking tablets on at least a dozen occasions altogether, he thought. Ho saw her take alcohol only once.

"Depressed and Worried." Thelma Trott was very depressed and worried over those months, continued witness. He saw her again on occasions, but saw no tablet-taking until he met her again towards tlie end of 1031, when witness spent a fi\'e-weeks' holiday in Melbourne. There Miss Trott was rehearsing for an Ernest Rolls production. Again she seemed to l>e depressed and worried. "The world always seemed '.o her to be a sort of conspiracy of oppression," said witness. He saw her taking veronal tablets—two, he thought— one night with milk before they went out to supper. Soon afterwards she said she was very tired and wanted to go to bed. He saw her do this more than once. He told her again that she was foolish, but' her reply was that she was only taking them medicinally. "I saw her on mornings after nights when I knew she had taken veronal, - ' said witness. "She always had a glassy appearancc about the eyes. It was most marked and she had a 'dopey' appearance." Witness said he saw those appearances often between June, 1932, and early in 1933, when he was working in Melbourne. He never saw Miss Trott again after she left. Witness then told how he had heard of the death of Mrs. Mareo and read later of the opening of the trial in the Adelaide papers. He consulted his uncle, a lawyer, and cabled to Mr. O'Leary, whose name he got from the papers. An interchange of cables followed. At this stage the cablegrams were read to the Court by Mr. O'Leary. As counsel had outlined in his address, they told how the Adelaide Commissioner of Police. had refused to act without the direction of the Auckland police. Effects of Veronal. Close questioning of witness by Mr. Meredith followed. Witness said he did not know that with two tablets of veronal one fell asleep in half an hour and stayed asleep for six to eight hours. Mr. Meredith: If I told you that the operation of 10 grains of veronal would mean the posjibility of sleep within half an hour, would you expect a sensible girl to take these 10 grains before going out to supper at a place other than where she lives ?—No, under those conditions I would not. You have spoken of her bein<» depressed. It follows that she was not a cheerful companion ?■—Yes. Why, then, did you seek so much of her society?—l was interested in her case, and I rather admired her in lots of ways. . / . Were you married at the time? —Yes. Was Mrs. Whitington interested in this case?—No Did you interest her in this case? — No. f was separated from my wife at the time. .

AMERICAN ACTRESS. EVIDENCE OF DRINKING. Jane Riano Neil, known as Jane Riano, an American citizen and an actress, next entered the box. She said she had met Thelma Trott in Melbourne in July, 1931, when she (witness) joined the musical comedy company In which Miss Trott was engaged. In 1933 witness played in the Ernest Kolls Revue Company with Thelma Trott for six months in Melbourne, and saw her every day except for two weeks in which Miss Trott was ill. She mentioned to witness once or twice that she "had not slept well and had to take powders. She was sometimes very happy and bright, but at othei' times downcast and depressed. Mareo joined the company ae musical director, and

continued in that capacity until the company left for New Zealand. There was talk of dismissing Miss Trott, with other players, to reduce expense, when the company was about to leave. She said that if* they did not take her she would do away with herself, and she was kept in the company, said witness. There was a party on the boat coming over, at which Miss Trott became intoxicated. She was drinking whisky. Wit-

noes said she sow during the voyage on a ledge near Thelma's blink a bottle marked "barbitonc." At a cabaret party on arrival at Auckland Miss Trott got intoxicated on whisky. Witness said that she had told her to mind her own business. " Periodical Drinker." At a party at the "Pig and Whistle" Tlielma and Mareo were drinking, and while they were dancing Tlielma fell over. Miss Trott was a periodical drinker, said witness, but not a steady drinker. At the Crow's Nest Cabaret, Wellington, one night she saw Miss Trott intoxicated. She was half-intoxi-catcd on another occasion at a Wellington hotel, said witness. Questioned by Air. Meredith, witness said Jshe liked Tlielma Trott. Mr. Meredith: You were interviewed bv the police in Melbourne as to her taking drugs?— Yes. Did you tell them one word about the barbitone bottle you saw in the cabin?— No. Do you know what barbitone is? —I do now.