MAREO’S DEFENCE

Evening Star, Issue 22363, 12 June 1936, Page 8

MAREO’S DEFENCE

UNEXPECTED MEDICAL WITNESS DENIAL OF CROWN DOCTORS' DEDUCTIONS [Pbk United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, June 12. Keen interest was evinced in the defence of Eric Mareo, and the court was crowded this morning when his trial on the charge of murdering his wife, Thelma, was resumed. Dr T. L. Paget, of Wellington, inspector of private hospitals under the Health Department, gave evidence that he had not practised for the past 12 years, but he had previously practised at Stratford and Palmerston North for 30 years. A statement he had read during the Mareo case caused him to offer yesterday to give evidence. This statement was that if a patient lapsed into unconsciousness through an overdose of veronal and recovered, the patient would not relapse and die. The statement reminded him of a case that came under his notice 20 to 25 years ago. A woman lived near Hawera and had been a patient of his at Stratford. When he was called in she had been in a fairly deep coma. The history of the case given to him was that she had been given veronal two nights previously. Witness thought 10 to 15 grains had been given on medical advice. The first dose was riot effective, _ and a second similar one was administered next evening. The cumulative effect of those two doses was to cause coma. When witness arrived the woman was in a comatose condition, but while he was there she roused, recognised him, and talked. She seemed to be recovering. Witnss could not remember what treatment hod been given the woman, but he thought they had prescribed strychnine for her heart. They thought she was recovering, but she relapsed into unconsciousness, and, although under constant medical attention, her coma increased, and she died from veronal poisoning. “ I was satisfied she was in a state of coma because of veronal,” continued Dr Paget. “ She may have had the limit of 40 grains in 20 grain doses, but I cannot remember exactly. I think it was impossible for her to have had a third dose. Her husband was very fond of her and there was no question of criminal intent. The veronal was given on that occasion hypodermically.” , Replying to Mr Meredith, witness said he agreed that the drugs of the barbituric acid group acted fairly certainly, but didn’t agree with the statement that they acted with rapidity. He would recommend that a dose be taken an hour or two hours before the patient desired to sleep. The patient to whom he referred was between 50 and 55. Her general health had been good, but he hadn’t seen her for some time before the fatal illness, and she may have deteriorated physically during the interval. No post-mortem examination was carried out, and he was unable to tell the court of the woman’s organic condition. The patient was in a condition of coma—with a brief intermission, in which she was awake — for about 36 hours. Her appearance was dusky, and her breathing was laboured. Witness roused her he thought by speaking to her and probably moving her. He thought it possible that the other doctor might have given her strychnine before witness arrived, and this might have assisted her to awake. Re-examined, Dr Paget said he found no organic disease of the heart or lungs. , . To Mr Justice Callan witness sank, that when roused the woman didn’t become at all lively. She was drowsy, and spoke in a drowsy way. Irene .Alice Riano, widow, of Melbourne, questioned by Mr Henry, said she met Thelma Trott in 1931 with a variety company. _ Her daughter and granddaughter joined the company. She saw Miss Trott again in Melbourne in 1933, when her family joined the Ernest Rolls Company. She remembered Thelma telling her she couldn t sleep with sleeping powders. One night she had a bottle of veronal, which she said was the best thing on the market for sleeplessness. She had once said she. would kill herself, because life wasn’t worth living. Witness discussed with her books dealing with certain aspects. , _ , Mrs Riano remembered Thelma saying that if the Ernest Rolls Company didn’t take her to New Zealand sho would kill herself, and they decided to take her. While in Auckland Thelma came to witness’s dressing room and asked if witness could give her some powders or something. Mareo was standing in the doorway, and said: “ I wish you could try to, convince Thelma to be a homoeopath, because something will happen if she doesn’t stop taking so many sleeping draughts.” Witness remembered Thelma drinking at the Crow’s Nest Cabaret, Wellington, and being under the influence. _ To Mr Henry, witness said she yas very fond of Miss Trott. There bad been a difference between her daughter and Mareo over the latter playing the music too fast, but no difference with Miss Trott. Cross-examined by Mr witness said that when she was interviewed by the police at Melbourne she may not have mentioned Thelma showing her a bottle of veronal. The policeman just came to the door and asked some questions and took notes in a hook. He took us by surprise, and I didn t tmnK it important to tell him everything i knew.” . , Mr Meredith: I put it to you that he asked straight out whether Thelma Trott took veronal P Witness: I do not remember that. He was not asking me questions. 1 was to tell him. , , , Mr Meredith: Do I understand that he stood there mute while you told him about Thelma ? Witness; He asked some questions, a lot particularly about dates. Mr Meredith: Then you purely voluntarily brought out these things about her drinking? , , , , Witness: 1 did it out of my love of justice. I thought it my duty. Mr Meredith; Did not your love of justice and duty impel you to tell the police about that bottle of veronal? V Witness: “ I am not sure I did not tell them.” Mareo had said to her before he married that Thelma was taking too many_ drugs, asking witness to break her of it. Mr Meredith: If what you say is correct it follows that Mareo knew his wife took drugs ? Witness: Yes, I suppose so. Mr Meredith: Would you be surprised to know that when his wife was unconscious and the doctor asked him whether his wife ever took drugs said “No ' ? ~ f Witness; Perhaps dope and drugs are two different things. Jlr Meredith; Would you be surprised if he said in answer to the police that

his wife did not take drugs to mak® her sleep, but took alcohol? Witness: -I don’t know whether I would be surprised. SCHOOL TEACHER’S EXPERIENCE. John William Beattie, school teacher, of Hunterville, said that in November, 1931, while in Dunedin suffering frofn a nervous breakdown, he consulted two doctors, who prescribed veronal to induce sleep, fle took veronal for about a year. For a time one tablet was enough, but later he had to' take two. He used to take them about half an hour before he went to bed. Occasionally they did not have any effect, and after tossing for some time he got up and took two more. At the time-he was suffering from a duodenal ulcer. He remembered one night taking two tablets with tea about 10 o’clock. He then escorted some visitors to the tram and retired at about 11.15. The veronal had not had effect, and! about midnight he took two mor® tablets. He remembered distinctly that eight were left in the box. went to sleep and did not (remember anything until morning. He then membered his wife trying to awaken him, but he just sagged and went into deep sleep. At dinner time his wife again tried to rouse him, but he sagged again and went to sleep. “ About 7.30 that night my wife was able to rouse me with difficulty. I was just like a drunken man. We went for a walk. My speech was very thick. When I retired at 10 o’clock I decided to risk one tablet. They were kept in the bathroom. I found the box witn the lid on, but there were no tablets, and I concluded that I had taken them myself on Saturday night. My uif* has never taken veronal in her hie. Mr Justice Callan: You conclude,then, that between 10 o’clock on Saturday night and Sunday morning you took 60 grains—ls? tablets? . - . Witness; Yes. The effect wore oB on Monday.” On another occasion, witness said, he found himself in th® bathroom. The bottle fell 'into to* wash-hand basin and roused him. Ho was- satisfied that he was after more veronal, but had enough will power to force himself from the bathroom, where it was kept. On the way back to ned he entered the wrong bedroom. Witness said he. had never seen Mareo until to-day, but thought this experience of veronal might be valuable, and; had therefore written to the court. The luncheon adjournment wa» taken.