IN THE DOCK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 209, 5 September 1939, Page 9

IN THE DOCK.

MURDER SUSPECT.

CLAVERLEY MYSTERY.

OVER FORTY WITNESSES. exhibits in court. i (By Tflownn.h.— Association.) j < HRISTLHfRC H. this day. | Arthur John Patience stood in the dock at the t iirUtchurch Magistrates' < "urt to ,lay charged that on or about October -1. l!.:w, at C leverley, he inur-i dcied hi. wife, Harriet Jane Patience. I li<- hearing is expected to last four tot U 4V f " s l " 1,0 caUt ' fl V the police Forty seven exhibits will be produced by the police. I lie case is being heard by Mr. E. C. "u U \ N ' r " IC roWII I'i'useeutor, x ' '■ Donnelly, with Mr. A \V Jirown, is conducting the case for the police while Mr. H. A. Young, with him '• A ' t "'» , f«ini, is appearing for I a t n«iici». ° I Engineer's Evidence. 1 Manuel .(ones, ,i Public Works J c!•," t men t engineer, produced a plan !- "' -A i l l where -|.oil bad been deposited u " ,1;r 'laratuhi and Cl.ivcrley ''•""I'-- Witne-.s said heap« of spoil luted between P.Mtiand 1 i):S.S. In this \ear there was definite cro-1.,11 ! loin the heaps as the result of Jica\\ -ear.. Patience arrived at ( la\erIcy 111 Xon ember, HKSIi, „d took up man ie,| man's quarters about March, 1)11 October 17 he wa* moved to Ihe llo.y Morn camp, thirteen miles Iroiu < biNerley. *'■ '' Kearton, police photographer, said that he was (iresent when Dr. Pearson .allied out a past-mortem examination o! a woman's body and that he look photographs of several portions of Ihe body. Photographs which he produced showed ligature markings on the arms and shoulders and marks on the b'g- and thigh*. Three photographs an ere taken of the windpipe, showing a depiction in the front thyroid gland, and I lie thyroid gland pinned into position I'.v Dr. Pearson. On July 24 lie viewed the body under a ultra-violet ray anil on the lett upper arm ho saw circular marks, similar to vaccination marks. Accused's Son As Witness. The 17-year-old soil of Mrs. Patience and accused. Arthur Stevens Patience, said that until October 4. IiWH, hi s father and mother lived together at t lie Claverley camp. Since October 17, F.);jS. his hither had been working at the Ro-v Morn camp. Prior to going to Claverley

his father had been a shepherd at the Mondip Hills station. He last saw his mother towards the end of September, Ift'lH, when he visited Claverley for the day. He saw his father on the Friday after his mother was reported to be missing. Patience had told him he did not know where his mother was and was going to see if she was with her niece, Mrs. George. Patience said Mrs. Patience had left a note, taken a little bag and gone away. He had said that aliout £49, which he had kept above a window, was missing, and he thought M rs. Patience had taken it.

Witness said he saw his father again two days later, when he told hi in his mother was not with Mrs. George at Christchurch. He seemed very upset over his wife's disappearance. He saw his father again on October 1.1, when accused told him ho still had heard nothing of Mrs. Patience and that he was going to see a lawyer. Ho did not mention that any police inquiries were being made. He said he was packing up to go to the liosy Morn ramp. Later his father said a note had been left on the table, in which Mrs. Patience said she was sick of camp life. In his opinion the body shown him by the police was the body of his mother. Witness added, that he reported his mother's disappearance to the police. "Aaather Woman." Irene Maud George, married woman, ftaid Mrs. Patience was her aunt. For a start Patience and his wife got on well but from June or July, 1035, things were "not so good" between them, the cause of the trouble being another wonuui, Mrs. Chapman. On October 15 her husband gave her a note which accused left. The text of the note, said witness, wits: "Dear Irene, did (Jirly come down here last Tuesday? She left a note saying she was sick of the camp life, so I don't know where she went to. So please let mo know if she has been heie. T brought some of her clothes down. Write a. letter and let me know."

Later, said witness, Patience said lie was going tu report his wifes disappwirance to the police, but someone told liini his wife was only giving him a fright. Patience also told them that his wife had taken away her clothes and £40. (Proceeding).