MURDER TRIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 167, 18 July 1938, Page 8

MURDER TRIAL.

HENLEY TRAGEDY.

THE ACCUSED'S STORY.

DEATH OF WOMAN.

CASE FOR THE CROWN.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

DUNEDIN, this day

The trial was commenced in the Supreme Court this morning, before Mr. Justice Kennedy, of Erie Sandagger Parks, aged 28, who is charged with the murder of Frances Amelia Lee, at Henley, on April 14.

The accused, who was represented ny Mr. C. J. L. White, with him Mr. .1. B. Thomson, pleaded not jruilty. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr. F. B. Adams, is conducting the case.

Twenty witnesses are to lie called, and it is expected the case will occupy four j davs. The jury was empanelled after ten challenges, the judge then adjourning for U-ii minutes to enable jurymen to"make, through the police, necessary home arrangements, since they will be kept together throughout the trial. Case for the Crown. In opening the case for the Crown, Mr. Adams *aid it was not for him to foretell the rine the defence would take, but he anticipated the controversy would ultimately be found to be whether Parks committed 'murder or man-, slaughter. The Crown Prosecutor outlined the alleged facts. He said the body of the murdered woman was fouud on the morning of Good Friday by a farmer who employed her as housekeeper. The daughter of deceased, whose engagement to the accused hedj been terminated, also slept in the house, and was awakened by the accused shining a torch in her face, but heard nothing of any happenings in her mother's room. The accused wats found next day in a boardinghouse in the city almost at death's door from gas poisoning. The case was narrowed down by a statement made within the last few days by the accused with his counsel's knowledge. The Crown Prosecutor read this statement, which related the history of the acquaintance with and en•ragement to the deceased'e daughter, Frances Lee. He stated that he was very much in love with her, and thought ; she was with him. He described the monev spent in buying furniture for his future home, and the opening of a banking account for Frances, and also paying her board. He spent over £30 on rental care and taxis taking Frances about. He mostly got on pretty well with Frances' mother, but lately he knew she wae interfering to get Frances to break the engagement.

About mid-January Frances went into hospital with an abscess on her back. Some trouble arose over something he was supposed to have said to her boss about the abscess not being caused by an accident. It was Mrs. Lee and her other daughter who imputed this statement to him, and he was very hurt, for he had not made it. After her discharge from hospital, he noticed. a change in her, and in March she said she had decided to break the engagement. "Was Terribly Upset." He was terribly upset, and could tell she was being forced into this action. Later they made it up, she saying it was all her mother's doing. Again later she wrote breaking the engagement. The accused then described how he hired a truck on the night of the charge to go to Henley to try to get Frances to come home with him. He tapped on the window pane, and Mrs. Lee answered, allowed him to go in. She wae in bed. He asked if she would allow Frances to go with him. She lost her tamper coinpl»'.';lv. calling him all sor'.i of things. She <-aid Fiances had broken the engagement because she made out that he was a big. jealous overgrown schoolboy, and that he would not see Frances then or any other time.

The statement then proceeded:—"She said: 'You are always trying to cause trouble and make the girl's life a hell ' Mie eaid Frances would never anv pleasure in life married to a thina like me. I remember she also said I was a damn mischief-maker and a Ivirn* crawler, and said: I won't have a dirtv crawler like you about the place." , * The statement proceeded:—'l don't know what happened to me, but mv liead seemed to burst. I don't remembeV clearly what happened. Everything seemed to be a muddled up haze I remember euddenly realising that Mrs Lee was bleeding a lot. I was panicstricken. I remember rushing out and trying to electrocute myself on their switchboard, but I couldn't do so I remember in a dazec way going in to see Prances, but , not exactly what happened in there."

Later the statement continued that lie drove to Hemsley's factory, where he tried to electrocute himself' by thrownig a wire over the power lines. He got a severe shock. He' remembered returning to his room> but not turning the gas on. It was some day* atter he woke up in hospital before "he was able to remember anything of what had happened. He remembered police omceiß asking questions, but could not remember what was said. (Proceeding.)