MURDER CHARGE AT NELSON

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26395, 13 April 1951, Page 9

MURDER CHARGE AT NELSON

EVIDENCE FOR CROWN CONCLUDED ACCUSED’S OWN ACCOUNT OF EVENTS (New Zealand Press Association) . NELSON, April 12. When the' hearing of a charge of murder against Charles Edward Metcalf, aged 32, a drainlayer was continued in the Supreme Court, Nelson, to-day, the accused went into the wit-ness-box and described events on December 2, 1950, when the body of Martha Isobel Harper was found at 16 Beachville street Nelson. Metcalf has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering Mrs Harper. Mr Justice Cook is presiding. Mr W. H. Cunningham, with him Mr H. G, Brodie, is appearing for the Crown, and the accused is represented by Mr W. J. Stacey. Detective-Sergeant Norman Thompson produced'a statement made by the accused on the night of December 2, in which he said he had been living with Mrs Harper. He said that during the afternoon of December 2 she had gone into the kitchen, where he was, and told him she was going out. He did not know what occurred, but he picked up the electric iron and hit her over the head. “I hit her a lot of times,” said the accused’s statement. ‘‘l also hit her with the hSmmer. I just lost my head completely. I knew that I had hit her.” Later in the statement, the accused said he had heard stories about Mrs Harper going out with other men. Those stories had played on his mind. He added: “She is dead, and I will never bring her back. I can forgive a lot, but I can’t forgive Dot for going out with other men.” Details of a post-mortem carried out on the body of Mrs Harper were given by Dr. M. N. Oliver, of Nelson. He considered that death could have been caused by blows from the electric iron and hammer shown to him. Accused Gives Evidence Addressing the jury on Metcalf’s behalf, Mr Stacey said he would call evidence to'show that the defence of provocation did not necessarily imply physical action. It could be sufficiently established by an insult and, in certain circumstances, even by a gesture. The accused, in evidence, said he was born in Liverpool. His mother died while he was a baby, and his father died as the result of a shipwreck when the accused was about 13. The accused had been under the care of the Child~ Welfare Department in England. He did not remember the last school standard he had passed. The accused said he served with the Australian Army in New Guinea, the Middle East ana/Dai win. He came to New Zealand after he received his discharge. He was in about five hospitals in Australia. He had been smothered by a bomb explosion which killed three men.

Metcalf said that he - had loved Mrs Harper. He had lived with her for about three years. She had a boy aged about nine, who lived with them. They got on very well together until Mrs Harper’s sister • and her three daughters came to live with them. For about six months after that, there might have been occasional arguments about the sister’s family. The accused said that on December 2 he went to the Masonic Hotel about 10 a.m., and stayed until noon. He had about 15 drinks. He took a large vinegar bottle of beer away with him, and then went to the Globe Hotel, where Mrs Harper was working. About 12.45 p.m. they went home together, after having a meal. A friend, Roy Wilton, called. The accused could not remember Wilton leaving. Metcalf said he took the jar of beer and two glasses into the kitchen and called out to Mrs Harper. She was not there, and he went out to ook for her. He thought he went to Mrs Taylor’s place. He recalled going in to the house, but did not remember leaving it. He could not rightly say what Mrs Harper’s attitude had been at Taylor’s. He went home alone. Mrs Harper came home, and came into the kitchpn with some clothes, which she put on the table. She said: “I’m going down the road to have some beers.” The accused replied: “What are we going to usg. for money? We •ire - trying to save for Christmas.” He thought she started “razzing him” about never having any money. Some more was said about money, and about the boy. The accused did not know what occurred then. The next thing he remembered was hearing the clock ticking. He saw Mrs Harper lying on the floor. Everything was quiet He must have had a black-out. He could not recall how long he had been sitting there, or what had taken place.

The accused said he decided that he had better give himself up to the police. All he could remember was wandering from room to room. He could not recall changing his clothes. The accused then described seeing the earlier witness, Mrs Taylor and Lennie, and telling them that he had killed Mrs Harper. He recalled seeing Keith Atkinson somewhere, and then someone asking if he had any money. He thought it was a policeman. He did not remember' going in a truck or a taxi, or having drinks at the hotel. He could not remember the police station at all. He did not remember anything about a statement to the police. Metcalf said that there had been periods before when he had forgotten things that had occurred when arguments or anything else upset his nerves. He had not intended to kill Mrs Harper. He did not even know he had done it; he was o ly surmising. At the end of Metcalf’s evidence, the Court adjourned until to-morrow.