MARIO MURDER TRIAL

Evening Star, Issue 22363, 12 June 1936, Page 1

MARIO MURDER TRIAL

HEW EVIDENCE FOR DEFENCE COUNSEL ON VERONAL VAGARIES [Pr.i: Ukited Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Juno 14. When the Alareo murder trial was resumed, Mr o’Leary, tor the accused, said he would call Alexander Whitington,' an accountant, of Adelaide, who knew Airs Alareo (then Thelma Trott) as a member of a company visiting there in 1929, and he would say that at least on 12 occasions he saw her take veronal tablets. _ He remonstrated with her, but she said she took them to induce sleep. This witness saw nn account of the first trial in the Adelaide papers, consulted a barrister, and later communicated with him (Air O’Leary). There were also some people named" Riano connected with the Ernest Rolls Revue Company. Airs Riano felt impelled to come forward and testify that ’Thelma Trott took sleeping drugs. Continuing his address, Mr O Leary said that two parties had Rome forward and would be called upon to tell their experiences. Air Beattie, who was a schoolmaster near Alarton, would te l how ho was prescribed veronal and took two tablets. He found that it did not have the required effect, and bo look two more. He did not wake next morning and when he did come round lie was in a state of collapse. He was astounded at Hie condition he was in after taking only four tablets. Going to bis store of veronal to take two more tablets for the night, he found tho store was gone. He came to the conclusion that lie must have got up doing the night and taken the whole supply. Then Air and Airs Meissner, of Havelock North, would tell how Airs Meissner was prescribed barbitone, Which was the same ns veronal. She took only one tablet at a time. Air Meissner took the tablets away unknown to her and hid them in n cupboard in the bathroom. Airs Aleissner remembered getting out of bed, staggering about in a dazed fashion, ana eventually finding herself in the bathroom. She recollected getting up on a chair, finding the veronal in the cupboard, and taking it in some wav. she, knew not how. Air Aleissner found the box empty. After he had roused her up and fed her she wont back oft into a heavy sleep again. Air O’Leary went on to say he would call a Wellington doctor to refute the evidence that Airs Alareo must have had a dose on the Saturday night. The first of tho witnesses for the defence, Alexander Peter Whitington, accountant, living at Adelaide, said he had never seen Alareo before. He became acquainted with a young woman named Thelma Trott towards the end of 1928. She was appearing in a musical comedy at the Adelaide Theatre lor some months. Ho became friendly with her, and on occasions ho accompanied her’ to her hotel room in Adelaide. About the first occasion on which he had supper with her at her hotel room he saw her taking white pills from a bottle with veronal on the label. Witness remarked, as near as he could remember; “ What are you taking those things for?” She had replied: “ I find it hard to sleep.” Witness said ho thought she was very foolish, and should go and sec a doctor. He could not say how many tablets she took. She placed a. tablet or tablets in her mouth and took a drink of milk. He saw her taking tablets on at least a dozen occasions altogether. He thought he saw her take alcohol only once. , Thelma Trott was very depressed and worried over those months, continued witness. He saw her again on occasions, but saw no tablet-taking until he met her again towards the end of 1931. when witness spent a five weeks' holiday in Alclbourne. There Aliss Trott was rc,hearsing for an Ernest Rolls production. and again she seemed to be depressed and worried. “ The world always seemed to her to bo a sort of conspiracy of oppression,” said witness. He saw her taking veronal tablets — two, he thought—one night with milk. He saw her do this more than once. He told her again she was foolish, but her reply was that she was only taking them medicinally. ‘‘ .I saw her on the mornings after the nights when I knew she had taken .veronal,” said witness. “ She always lifed a glassy appearance about the eyes. It was most marked, and she had a ‘ dopey ’ appearance.” Witness said lie saw those appearances often between June, 1932, and early in 1933, when he was working in Melbourne. He never saw Aliss Trott again after she left. Answering Mr Aleredith. witness said he did not know that with two tablets of veronal one fell asleep in half t an hour and stayed asleep for six to eignt hours. , . Mr Aleredith; If T told you that the operation of 10 grains of veronal would mean the pu.-ssihility ol ; sloop within halt au hour, would you expect a sensible girl to take these 10 grains before going out to supper, at a place other than where she lives? —No, under those conditions I iron Id not. You have spoken of her being depressed. It follows that she was not a cheerful companion?—Yes.

Why, then, did you seek so much of her society?—l was interested in her case, and I rather admired her in lots of ways. Were you married at the time? — Yes.

Was Airs Whitington interested in this case?—No.

Did you interest her in this case?— No, I was separated from my wife at tho time. Jane Riano Noil, an actress, of Melbourne. who said her stage name was Jane Riano. said she was a member of the Ernest Rolls Company with Thelma Trott. Just before the New Zealand tour, witness said, Rolls was reducing the size of the company on the ground of expense, and lie spoke of dismissing Aliss Trott. who threatened to do away with herself if she wore not taken. She was included in the company, and visited New Zealand. On the vessel during tho voyage, witness continued, there was a party, at which Aliss Trott became intoxicated. On one occasion when witness visited Aliss Trott's cabin she saw a bottle of barbitone there. Witness then described the occasion durin - t' c company’s stay in Auckland when Aliss Trott was under the influence of liquor. She was described as a periodical drinker, not a steady drinker. The hearing was adjourned.