ONE TREE HILL CASE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25346, 20 November 1947, Page 4

ONE TREE HILL CASE

0 ■ WOMAN ON TRIAL FOR MURDER PATHOLOGIST’S EVIDENCE (PA.) AUCKLAND, November 19. Twelve more witnesses gave evidence during the third day of the trial of Mrs Pansy Louise Frances Haskell, aged 49, in the Supreme Court to-day, on a charge of murdering Mrs Gladys Ruth Rusden at her home at 37 Horotutu road, One Tree Hill, on. June 5. Neighbours of the Rusden household, a milk roundsman, a bread carter, and a postman described Mrs Rusden’s habits, and a detective-sergeant and a pathologist gave evidence. Between 25 and 30 witnesses are still to be called by the Crown. • The case is being heard before Mr Justice Callan. Mr V„ R. Meredith and Mr G D. Speight represent the Crown, and Mr M. Robinson and Mr N. J. Shieff the accused.

William Sim, a factory hand, said that about 5.30 on the evening of the murder, Rusden called at his house and then returned to his own home to climb up a plank through the window. When he first called Rusden appeared normal, but he seemed dazed when he came back later. The witness rang for a doctor to go to the Rusden home, and later rang the police. The bed in the front room was partly made. Dr. Ronald Wagstaff said that Mrs Rusden had been a patient of his, mostly concerning nervous stability. He examined the body superficially and came to the conclusion that death had occurred several hours before.

Questioned by Mr M. Robinson for the defence, the witness said that Mrs Rusden had undergone a series of major operations before he treated her. There was a very general improvement in her health up to March, 1946, which was when she was assaulted. On the evening of the tragedy it was Rusden who told him the bed had not been completely made. Dr. Wagstaff said that in his opinion Mrs Rusden died some time in the morning. There were pools of blood on the floor Injuries in Assault Referring to the assault on Mrs Rusden in March. 1946, witness said she had bruising m the region of the neck. Her injuries were caused prooably by an attempt to choke her. He thought there had been considerable pressure. Ella Jane Elizabeth Kitson said she lived next door to the Rusdens. At 8.30 the day the tragedy she heard Mrs Rusden cough. It was very much like her cough. Witness frequently called on Mrs Rusden when the latter was sick. When she went to the front door Mrs Rusden would come to the door with a nervous look and hide halfway behind the door. She was nervous. After that when she went to Mrs Rusden’s house she would always call out her own name and then Mrs Rusden would open the door. Cross-examined, Mrs Kitson said she heard only one cough,, although it was usual for Mrs Rusden to have a series of coughs. Re-examined by Mr Meredith, witness said she knew Mrs Rusden’s cough, which was high-pitched. Detective-Sergeant James Bain McLean produced a red dressing gown and Pyjamas which deceased was wearing. They were stained with blood. A screwed-up blood-saturated handkerchief was found in the kitchenette. Witness described blood marks in various parts of the kitchenette. A cigarette that had burned put and a burn on a trav sugg^ed JP at Mrs Rusden was smoking while doing her work. There were no signs of any disarrangement in the-house. Hee! Mark on Paper Witness said he had recovered brown a a & e n„rt r< T\ th ? * avator y P an - There was a blood-stained heel mark on the paper, apparently made by an ordinary rubber h 1 by some men. However it abou* i? CUlt tO f ° rm any definite opinion

pathologist, said bloodstains on the floor of the latcnenette he came to the conclusion that hav ® ori B inally been lying wi? 1 u® head under a drop-leaf table. When he saw It the head was on the oppo?i ®Mm® J h L kit £ h^ net t e * and seemed to him that the body had been pulled ™ U h d Th n r j w as evidence that some°P e - had p “ lled , it through the blood on the floor. He did not think the body had moved convulsively. The head showed five groups of wounds, one on each ear two on the left side of the forehead, and one on the right side. Witness did not know what weapon had been used. Witness said deceased’s face was swollen and bruised, indicating that she had surydvedu?h£ attack for some time. He thought it might easily have been from half an hour to an hour. The cause of brain W3S hemorrha 6 e and injury to the Witness came to the conclusiox. that death had occurred somewhat less than eight hours previously, probably between 11 o clock and 12 o’clock. Time of Death Cross-examined by Mr Robinson, witness said that from the degree of rieor mortis present in the body it was possible, but very unlikely, that death had occurred up to 12 hours before his examination. In cases of head injury it was very difficult to estimate how long a person would live. Mr Robinson: An attempt at fixing the time the blow was delivered is speculaHon.of the most indefinite kind from a medical point of view. Witness: Yes. It is indefinite. Then it could have been delivered at 7 o clock in the morning. Witness: I believe it could have been, delivered at about that time. Mr Meredith: If the blow at the back of Mrs Rusdens ears and on her face had been delivered at 7 o’clock would she have bee n able to get her milk after that? Witness: No. The effect would be almost certain to render her unconscious. Lorna Gertrude Wishart, married, of Horotutu road, said Mrs Rusden would come to her house each Thursday morn*nB f i? r s Pa r e meat coupons. /Deceased told her on the Tuesday before the murder that she would call on June 5, but she did not come. Robert Victor Craig, milk vendor, said he left the milk for the Rusdens in a billy in a box at the gate at 7.20 a.m. He did not see anyone about the house. Mrs Rusden came out every week or fortnight in a red dressing-gown to pay him. A baker's roundsman, Albert Edward Clayton, said he left half a loaf of bread in the box at the Rusden’s gate about 7.45 a.m. on June 5. The money was usually m the box, but it was not there that day. Beatrice Maud Bernhard, formerly employed as a nurse at Waitemata Breweries, Otahuhu, said she saw Rusden board the brewery bus at the Harp of Erin about 7.35 a.m. on the day of the tragedy. She spoke to him; and there was nothing unusual about his conduct. The assistant works manager at the brewery Clifford Cave Whatford Way, produced a time card showing that Ruswil cloc ked in at 6.34 a.m. on June 5. Witness said this would actually be 7.34 as b ® i ® 1 ® < ? ric CloCk bad st °PPed for an hour during a power cut. Rusden had clocked out at what looked like 4.49 p m A .fellow worker, Hugh Stewart, said he did not notice Rusden’s being absent day” W ° rk f ° r aDy length of time that ro^ h e hearing will be continued to-mor-