WOMAN'S DEATH

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24258, 16 May 1944, Page 6

WOMAN'S DEATH

BUSBAND CHARGED WITH MURDER EVIDENCE FOR CROWN (P.A.) AUCKLAND, May 15. The trial of Thomas Phillip Haworth, aged 32, a foreman chrome tanner, on a charge of murdering his wife, Patricia Florence Haworth, at Otahuhu on March 16, was commenced to-day before Mr Justice Callan and a jury. Mr V. R. Meredith and Mr E. O. Williams appeared for the Crown, and Mr J. Terry represented the accused. In outlining the Crown case Mr Meredith said it appeared that the accused and his wife had met an American soldier at a partv late in February, and the American had become a frequent visitor to their home. On the Friday before the tragedy he had gone to the Haworth’s and stayed there until Sunday morning. Apparently some degree of affection had arisen between Mrs Haworth and the American. On the Friday night she had said that she and the American were fond of each other, and there had been some discussion about it. On the Saturday accused had virtually been told that his wife and the American had arranged to get married when the American got a divorce from his wife. Accused was understood to say that he would give her a divorce one month after the American got his. This discussion had proceeded all night, and until 5.30 a.m. on Sunday morning. The American had then slept on a couch until about 8 a.m., when accused had wakened him as he was due back in camp. Mrs Haworth apparently had heard him going, and had gone out to the gate and asked him not to go, American’s Visit On the following Wednesday the American came back to the house in the afternoon, and had met her that night in Otahuhu. and brought her back about 11 p.m., but had not gone into the house. On the Thursday morning accused had left his work about 10 a.m. A woman living next door to the Haworths would lay that she heard a commotion in the bedroom facing her kitohen and Haworth’s voice calling: “You do not love me any more. It’s all up,” and then noises, and Mrs Haworth screaming for help. Going across the road, the woman asked a neighbour to go for the police. When she came back everything was quiet, and she saw Haworth leave the house and ride away on his bicycle. She then went and looked through the bedroom window, and saw Mrs Haworth lying on the floor, her face and arms covered with blood. The police arrived, and found Mrs Haworth lying on the floor, her skull having apparently been battered in. Evidence would be given of

13 separate fractures. She was still breathing, and received medical attention, but died in an ambulance on the ■way to the hospital; There were blood stains in various parts of the room, and a blood-stained double-headed hammer ■was also found. On the floor in the kitchen were found a pair of clogs and working trousers, also blood-stained, and In the scullery were found a singlet, underpants, and a shirt with blood stains on them. A post-mortem examination showed that the woman’s hands were bruised, and one of her fingers broken, ■nd a ring twisted and damaged. Statement to Detective Evidence would be given that the accused had gone to an hotel, where he told the licensee he had killed his wife. Detective McLean had seen the accused at the hotel, and asked him what was wrong, accused replying: "A bloody Yank.” When charged with the murder of his wife he had made a statement in which he said the Yank was the cause of it all. He said she had been out with the Yank, and would not tell him where she had been. She had said the Yank “had taken her,” and accused then said: "You what that means.” Accused said he had a hazy recollection of getting a hammer, going home, and hitting his wife. Mr Meredith said the only legal ground on which a charge of murder could be reduced to manslaughter was provocation of such a nature as would cause a person to lose his self-control, and act on It suddenly, before his passion had time to cool. A person could not nurse a grievance and- then act upon it at a later stage. A number of witnesses gave evidence on the lines of the prosecutor's opening, Mrs Florence Lawrence said that that morning about 10.15 o’clock accused came to her house. He said; “Pat has gone. Will you get Philip and take him to my mother’s.” -When she asked accused where Pat had gone, he had replied: "She's just gone.” Witness said Philip was the Ha- . worth’s boy, aged about seven years. Accused then left, and rode away on his bicycle. The licensee of the Star Hotel, Otahiihu, Charles Claude Nicholson, said that on March 16 he noticed accused in the bar and said: "Hullo, Tommy having a day off? Not fueling too well to-day?" "He beckoned me over and said. 'Something dreadful has happened,’" continued the witness. “When I asked him what was wrong, he said: T’ve killed my wife.’ "Accused looked to me like a man on the verge of collapse.” said! witness. “I did not 'believe him, and thought he had gone off his head. I asked him how he had killed his wife, and he said: T killed her with a hammer She was rotten to the core. She was no good.’ ” ' Witness tried to get the police, and then went to the accused’s home. He found them already there, and returned to the hotel > with a detective. Accused was still sitting In the bar. The hearing was adjourned.-