MAREO RETRIAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 141, 16 June 1936, Page 11

MAREO RETRIAL

LAST OF THE EVIDENCE

DR. GIESEN" IN BOX

QUESTIONS BY THE CROWN

(By Telegraph—Press Association

AUCKLAND, This Day.

The cross-examination of Dr. E. W. Giefeen, of Wellington, a witness for the defence at the retrial of Eric Mareo, charged with murdering his wife, Thelma Clarice Mareo, began when the Court resumed after lunch yesterday.

In reply to Mr. V. R. Meredith (for the Crown), witness said he had not been in general practice for a good many years, but had continued as consulting physician for the last few years. His attention, had been mainly . confined to acting for insurance .companies in life, sickness, and accident

• cases. • Mr. Meredith: I understand you sub- * stantially disagree with the conclusions of Drs, Gilmour, Gunson, and Ludbrook? Witness: Yes. Do you understand that Mrs. Mareo is dead? Do you agree with them in that?— Yes. You could put veronal in the medicine Mrs. Mareo was taking just before her death and you could not tell there was veronal in it?— Yes. The mixture and veronal both taste bitter?— Yes. After a long series of questions Dr. Giesen admitted that if Mrs. Mareo took veronal while standing at the dressing-table on the Saturday morning the veronal *iust have been in the bedroom, and if was there, Mareo and Grah'am wquid have seen it. The cross-examination was not completed when the Court adjourned till today. The court was crowded this morning when evidence for the defence in the Mareo retrial concluded with the completion of the cross-examination of Dr. Giesen. "You have contradicted all the evidence of the medical men. Can you quote any literature to support your view?" asked Mr. Meredith.

The witness: I don't know if I can. Mr. Meredith: You remember that Mrs. Mareo's weight was given by Freda Stark as just under eight stone? The witness: Yes.

Mr. Meredith; Does it not follow that there must have been many times six grains of veronal in the whole of the body at death?

; The witness: All we know as. to the amount of veronal at death is the , amount extracted, and we know there ' must have been more. As to how much more nobody can make any estimate.

. Mr. Meredith: I put it to you that there must have been many times more.

The witness: I cannot conccde that.

Mr. Meredith: Is there any other medical man who can support you in your propositions? .

The witness: I don't know of any. Re-examined by Mr. Q'Leary Dr. Giesen said that he had been in active practice at Wellington for thirty years. Other medical men still consulted hijn. For twelve years he was examiner for the University of New Zealand—for two years on toxicology and medical, jurisprudence.

After several technical questions had been asked by the foreman of the jury Dr. Giesen left the box.

THE LAST WITNESS. ' The Crown called George Seymour . Denn Sheard, Mount Eden, who in 1928 was a member of the Humphrey Musical Comedy Company. The Witness said that in Adelaide he was the tenor of the show and Thelma Trott, afterwards Mrs. Mareo, was the soprano. They sang duets. • He saw her every day and night for five weeks and she stayed with his people! for three or four weeks. "I have no knowledge of her ever taking veronal in that period," said the witness. "She was not dopey and depressed; on the contrary, brightness was one of the greatest of her assets. I knew her on tour in Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand for about two and a half years, and I never saw any signs of the dopiness which has been referred to. Miss Trott not only did her ordinary show work but also acted as Humphrey Bishop's secretary." Cross-examined by Mr. O'Leary the .witness said he realised that Mrs. Mareo would be an asset to Mareo. Re-examined, by Mr. Meredith he said that in view of Miss Trott's experience with Humphrey Bishop she would be an asset as secretary. Mr. O'Leary commenced his address to the jury.