POLICE EVIDENCE IN DOULL TRIAL

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30747, 11 May 1965, Page 3

POLICE EVIDENCE IN DOULL TRIAL

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 10. Detectives gave evidence in the Supreme Court at Auckland today of investigations after the death of a woman whom Margaret Murray Doull is alleged to have murdered in August last year.

Doull. aged 52, is alleged to have murdered her husband, Alexander George Doull, on January 30, 1952, and her sister, Janet Bell Greenhorn, on August 22 last year.

Doull is represented by Mr P. A. Williams. The Solicitor-General (Mr H. R. C. Wild, Q.C.) with him Mr G. D. Speight, is conducting the case for the Crown. The trial is before Mr Justice Boys and a jury.

James William Toothill, a detective sergeant said he went to see Doull at Papakura on September 25 at Sydney Eady's shop. He told her a post-mortem examination had been conducted on Mrs Greenhorn and that this had revealed traces of arsenic. He said he told her he was trying to find the source of the arsenic.

He asked her if it would be possible for him to visit the flat to see if he could find any way in which Mrs Greenhorn could have consumed arsenic.

Tootill said he went to the flat next day. Doull said she was “mystified” as to how her sister could have had access to any arsenic. Poisoned Wheat Tootill and another detective searched the flat and could find no traces of arsenic. There was a carton of poisoned wheat, which Doull said “Jennv” had bought to rid the flat of rats and mice, which she evidentlv thought were there in abundance. The carton was marked “strychnine."

Doull said her sister kept reasonably good health, but imagined many complaints. Tootill said he asked who did the gardening and was told the landlord was responsible for the grounds. Doull said her sister had not vomited.

Tootill said he could find nothing conclusive on that day.

On the evening of October 8 Tootill and another detective called to take samples of paint from the bathroom Doull introduced a man at the flat as Alf Marinia. whom she said she had known for some time in Australia. She was co-operative and friendly. Shop Searched On about November 30. Tootill said, he walked from Sydney Eady’s to the Papakura police station with Doull. and told her at the station that her sister had died of arsenical poisoning. Doull said she could imagine no way in which her sister could have taken the poison. Doull said she had felt Jenny needed “a bit of affection.” which she felt she had been giving her. A senior sergeant. Maurice Daniel Cummings, said that on the evening of November 17 he took a sample of tap water, an aluminium pot and a carton marked “rat poison containing strychnine.” He nrde another visit some days later to look for anything which could have caused arsenical poisoning. Doull told him she had lived in Australia for about nine or 10 years, and that there were several people there whn would be prepared to pay for her return to Australia. She added: “I will not leave New Zealand while I am under this cloud.” Doull said Mrs Greenhorn had most of her meals from tins which she heated in the pot which witness had earlier taken away. Doull said her sister com plained during the night before her death that she did not feel well. She said her sister had not vomited at any stage. She said she had vomited herself once or twice but had put this down to nervous strain.

Earl Robert Hutchinson, a detective sergeant, said that on December 14 he made searches of the premises of Sydney Eady, Ltd., and of the flat and its surroundings. From the shop he took away a number of articles, including a diary which Doull acknowledged was hers. About 60 articles were taken away from the house, including foodstuffs, tins, bottles, and ashes from the remains of fires. He also took away a 1963 diary and some documents, including seven p'eces of notepaper on which there were what appeared to be the commencements of letters addressed to a person called “Alf.” Diary For Jury A transcription of parts of the diary produced was put in the hands of the jury before the trial adjourned tonight, and his Honour asked that the jury read through this material before the trial resumes tomorrow. Earlier today Elizabeth Ann Sutton, a music teacher who worked part-time at Sydney Eady’s, said that at times she went to Doull's flat in Takanini but had never seen Mrs Greenhorn there. She had seen Mrs Greenhorn on about six occasions when she called at the shop. On one occasion she saw signs of vomit on Mrs Greenhorn’s coat and gave her a towel to wipe it off. That was about a month before Mrs Greenhorn died. Doull said that Mrs Greenhorn had been sick sometimes. To Mr Williams, Miss Sutton said she sometimes saw Mrs Greenhorn on the streets in Papakura. She was a drab sort of person. “She was not really a happy type of person. very quiet,” said Miss Sutton. She said the vomit incident could have occurred less than a month before Mrs Greenhorn died.

Alfred Stanton, a Bay of Islands farmer, said he first met Doull on July 4 last year. He went to her flat. He met Mrs Greenhorn and spent about five minutes talking to her. At tea-time that day he spoke to her for a further halfhour.

The next day he called at the flat . just after lunch. Shortly before tea Mrs Greenhorn came out of the bedroom and he heard her being sick in the lavatory. Stanton said Mrs Greenhorn said she had influenza. Brother’s Evidence lan James Hutchinson, a company director, of Auckland, said that after his sister, Mrs Greenhorn, came out of hospital she was quite happy and content staying with Doull. He and his wife went to Australia in July, returning on August 1. He received a telephone call from Doull some time after 8 a.m. on August 22 last, to say that Mrs Greenhorn was dead. He went around with his wife and asked Doull if a doctor had been called. She said that she had called and left a message. He went to the Papakura police station and asked the constable on duty to arrange for a doctor to be sent. To Mr Williams, Hutchinson said that before her admission to Oakley Hospital he had seen Mrs Greenhorn only once in 25 years. He had been advised by the police when she caused a disturbance. This wa> because he was the nearest relative in New Zealand at the time. It was after a visit to her house on the North Shore that he signed the admission form to Oakley Hospital. “She was living like a hermit,” he said. “She also suffered delusions of persecution.” After a month in hospital

her condition was “greatly improved.” Although he did not make an offer of accommodation to Mrs Greenhorn, he offered to get her and Doull better accommodation. This offer was refused. After his return to New Zealand Hutchinson said he did not visit Mrs Greenhorn before her death. He did not know her condition was called “constitutional,” but agreed that after her release she was still mentally weak. He did not think it necessary to have her under regular medical attention. “All the care and attention in the world was available, but you can’t ram it down people’s throats,” he said. Mrs Greenhorn had said she was perfectly all right end happy with her sister. Hutchinson said that he was sad about the death of his sister. “I have no recollection of saying to Doull that my sister’s death was the best thing under the circumstances,” he said

Re-examined by Mr Speight. Hutchinson said he thought the living conditions of the two sisters were cramped. Doull had placed an advertisement in the local newspapers for accommodation and Mrs Hutchinson had seen two flats which were both turned down.

“There was no question of inability to pay the rent,” Hutchinson said. “1 would have supplemented any rent that they needed. But you can’t force grown-up people.” He said he gave Doull money from time tc. time to help pay for any expenses, and he also helped around the garden. Elma Jessie Hutchinson gave evidence along the lines of her husband’s

To Mr Williams, she said that in her evidence in the Lower Court she had said that Mrs Greenhorn's health physically always appeared to be the same—poor—but said she was confusing Mrs Greenhorn’s physical with her mental health.

Answering Mr Wild. Mrs Hutchinson said Mrs Greenhorn’s physical health had seemed quite good. Needed Care To Mr Williams she said Mrs Greenhorn always said she thought she was sick and never felt any better. She seemed concerned about herself.

Mrs Hutchinson said she considered Mrs Greenhorn needed extra care. From February to late August she had taken her on one occasion to see Dr. Burrell, who suggested that Mrs Greenhorn should be placed in Kingseat, but Mrs Greenhorn was reluctant to go there or to any institution. She agreed with a suggestion from Mr Williams that Mrs Greenhorn was suspicious about doctors. Questioned about the relationship between Doull and Mrs Greenhorn, Mrs Hutchinson said there were stages when it was very happy, and stages when Doull must have found her a trial.

To a further question, Mrs Hutchinson said she would have had Mrs Greenhorn with her if she had had enough room.

Mrs Hutchinson said that she had never invited Mrs Greenhorn over to her house during the day, although she knew she was on her own.

On the day before her death she saw Mrs Greenhorn for about an hour during the afternoon, before going out to see Doull at the shop. She returned after about an hour and stayed with Mrs Greenhorn for 10 minutes. She said she thought Mrs Greenhorn was ill. “1 didn’t think that immediate medical attention was necessary because Doull said that she had the ’flu,” said Mrs Hutchinson. She said she presumed Doull would be working until 9 p.m. because it was Friday. She did not call a doctor herI self but told her husband about her visit when he returned home that evening She, too. thought Mrs Greenhorn had influenza. Suspicious Of Doctors Re-examined by Mr Speight. Mrs Hutchinson said she thought Mrs Greenhorn suspicious of doctors because of what Doull said. Apart from Doull, Mrs Hutchinson said that she knew more about Mrs Greenhorn's condition than anyone. Michael James Foley, a medical practitioner, of Papakura. said he went to Doull’s flat after being summoned by the police. Mrs Greenhorn was dead. “1 formed the impression that she had been dead for at least four—probably five or six hours.”

He said he looked around the bedroom for anything with which Mrs Greenhorn might have committed suicide but he found nothing. A constable, Leslie Owen Johnson, of Papakura, said he took a statement from Doull for the coroner’s inquiry. In the statement, Doull said Miss Greenhorn had been very nervous over the last few days and had not been sleeping well at nights.

Johnson said he also looked around the bedroom but found , nothing of significance. He did not smell vomit in the bedroom.