MURDER CHARGE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20711, 23 November 1932, Page 5

MURDER CHARGE.

THE PICTON TRAGEDY. TRIAL OF E. TARRANT OPENS. (FEESS ASSOCIiTION TELEGS&K.) BLENHEIM. November 22. Extraordinary public interest was shown this morning in .the trial at tho Supreinp Court, before his Honour Mr Justice Blair, of Edward Tarrant, who is charged with the murder, at Picton, on November 3rd, 1931, of an old man named James Flood. ]?urge crowds of people assembled around the Courthouse at an early hour, but many of them could not be admitted. The accommodation available was almost fully occupied by the unusually largo panel of jurymen who had been summoned in anticipation of a free exercise of the right of challenge. . Mr P. £>. K. Macassey, of Wellington, with him Mr Mac Nab, of Blenheim, appeared for the Crown. The prisoner was represented by Mr Parry, of Wellington, with him Mr Scantlebury, of Blenheim. The Crown is calling between nrtyfour and sixty witnesses, so that the trial is lilcelv to occupy a considerable time. The victim of the tragedy, who was known to keep in a wallet m his possession a sum of about £IOOO, mainly in old-style £2O and £lO notes, lived alone in a two-roomed cottage in Canterbury street, Picton, with neighbours fairly handy on all sides. He was last seen alive on the evening of November 3rd. Forty-eight hours later somo neighbours, realising that they had not seen Flood about for a considerable- period, made investigations, which resulted in the discovery of his body in the living-room of tho cottage. One door of the cottage had been locked after the tragedy, and a curious discovery a few days later was that of the door key, which was found lyinc on the edge of the Picton Croquet Club ; s closely-shaven lawn. When the tragedy was discovered the old man's wallet, which lie had carried in a specially-buttoned inside coat pocket, was missing. It will probably bo a week or more before the Crown case is completed and the defence opened. The Grand Jury to-day returned a true bill against Tarrant. Mr Macassey, in the course ot a long address to the jury, emphasised the points which would be .brought out in the evidence on winch the Crown principally relied He spoke for two hours, after which the Crown proceeded to call evidence. Three witnesses wore called--a surveyor, a police photographer, and Constable Condon, officer in charge at Picton. The last named detailed the finding of the body and conversations with accused, and produced the Police Court records, showing that accused had been sued repeatedly, and was in n. parlous financial position, lne evidence was on tfie lines of that given in the Lower Court. The Court adjourned at 5.d0 p.m. till 10 a.m. to-morrow.