MAREO MURDER TRIAL

Evening Star, Issue 22272, 25 February 1936, Page 13

MAREO MURDER TRIAL

EVIDENCE OF POLICE OFFICERS ACCUSED'S STATEMENTS PRODUCED [Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, February 24. The Mareo murder trial was continued in the afternoon. Continuing his evidence, Detectivesergeant Meiklejohn said he had brought Freda Stark into the same room with the accused. Witness said to the accused, “ Miss Stark has stated that she asked you to 'call a doctor for your wife several times.” Mareo said, “ I don’t remember that, my dear. You know Thelma used to drink a lot.” Miss Stark then said, “ Oh, yes, I did Mr Mareo.” Witness said he then mentioned about the bottle of “ dope ” and told Mareo that Miss Stark had stated that he told her that he had bought a bottle of “ dope from a chemist for his wife. To this Mareo said, “ You are mistaken, my dear.” Towards the end of the taking of the statement witness asked Mareo to get the bottle. Mareo went to the wasnhouse, witness _ and Detective Hamilton following him. “ When we got to the washhouse Mareo reached up on his toes and got the bottle from a suitcase on a shelf,” added the detective-sergeant. “ The bottle was empty. There was ‘ 100 ’ in figures on the label of the bottle at the time, but this number has since worn off tne middle of the top of the label. It became worn through my taking the bottle to various chemists.”

Witness said that Mareo remarked; “ I feel like a criminal. I feel like a cad saying all this about my wife, but I’ve got to protect myself.” He also said, referring to the statement, “ Is there anything in this that will hang me? ” and “ I feel like going and hanging myself, bringing all this veronal into the house.” When witness completed taking the statement from ■ Mareo the accused signed it. Witness then read the statement, the principal parts of which were quoted by Mr Johnstone in his opening address to the jury. Witness then gave lengthy evidence regarding a series of questions which he asked Mareo on April 19. In the course of these accused said he got veronal tablets from three chemists before April 1, 1935. He had several times seen his wife in a sound sleep all day or for days owing to drink. Continuing to quote questions and answers, witness said the accused stated he did not suspect his wife was taking drugs, though she took alcohol. She took no drugs’ to make her sleep. Questions and answers were then quoted by witness as follows, the question being asked by the witness and Mareo answering:— “Is it true that you have been taking drugs heavily since last Wednesday, the 10th inst., and were in a stupor up till Friday?—Only one tablet at night. I have been drinking spirits. “ Have you ever seen your wife with any drugs?—No, “ You said that a chemist told you that your wife would sleep for four days after giving her certain pills. Who was this chemist ?—lf I did make this statement I retract. “ You were with your wife until she was taken to hospital pn the Monday?—Yes, all day Monday. " Did your wife object to Miss Brownlee coming to your house.—l don’t know.

“Did your wife order her away on any occasion?—Not to my knowledge. tl Did Betty Mareo tell Miss Brownlee to leave your house?—No. “ Miss Stark denies taking a bottle of whisky to your home, but says that on one occasion you gave her two bottles of sherry to take home to her? —I have not seen Freda Stark bring whisky here. I arranged with Freda Stark to bring two bottles of sherry here.”

Witness said the series of questions was not signed. Detective Meiklejohn said he next went to No. 1 Tenterden avenue on May 20. Witness and Detective Hamilton searched the premises. Mr Johnstone: Did you find anything in the rubbish heap at the back of the house ?—Yes, I found the remains of an insurance policy containing the word “ Thelma ” and the number of the policy. Witness said that Detective Hamilton drew his attention to a letter signed “ Eleanor Brownlee ” and two medicine bottles which he had found under the house. Witness and Detective Hamilton next sa-.v the accused on June 5 at Miss 'Brownlee’s place. Detective Hamilton then wrote down a statement which the accused made. “ When we first saw Mareo he said to us—‘What do you think? The other day someone rang up and asked if I had been arrested,’ ’’ added Detective Meiklejohn. “ I asked the accused if he had ever given his wife any veronal and Mareo said, ‘ Oh, no.’ ” Witness handed in other lengthy statements which he said had been made by Mareo. In the course of one statement Mareo said, “My wife started to drink more than usual when we first went to Bucklands Beach. She has been under the influence of liquor at the theatre while I was conducting on several occasions. I do not know of any person who has seen her there under that condition. I do not know if there was any liquor in the house for a fortnight before her death. I believe it was there, but I did not make a search for it. I cannot remember if I bought any liquor in the 'fortnight before her death. I probably bought a bottle of whisky, which I gave Freda Stark to take back to Tenterden avenue to my wife. I saw that my wife appeared to be intoxicated on the Friday morning (April 12), her symptoms being ones I usally saw in her after alcohol. I thought that my wife’s condition was brought about by secret drinking, in view of the fact that I had not, as far as I can remember at this period, supplied her with any liquor. I cannot remember whether I saw my wife take alcohol during the fortnight prior to her death. I thought she appeared to be in a drunken sleep on the Saturday morning. By drinking bout symptoms I mean that she appeared dull, heavy, and wanted to be left alone to sleep it off. “ The only liquid that my wife on the Saturday evening,” continued the statement, “ was some milk. Ido not remember who prepared the milk. It may have been anyone in the house, including myself. I do not know how much she took of this milk." The first time it occurred to me that my wife was really ill was on the Monday. My wife did not leave any will as she had nothing to leave. I was worried over my financial position after leaving the theatre, and I am pretty heavily in debt through losses on musical concerts and ‘ The Duchess of Danzig ’ production.”

Mareo proceeded in his statement to declare that his wife indulged in unnatural practices, and mentioned instances where his suspicions had been aroused. In this connection he handed to Detective Meiklejohn three letters

which he claimed established his statement. The hearing was adjourned till tomorrow.