ANOTHER CROWDED COURT

Evening Star, Issue 22367, 17 June 1936, Page 14

ANOTHER CROWDED COURT

MAREO MURDER CASE TRIAL NEARING END [l’su United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, .Time 17. Lengthy queues of men and women awaited the opening of the doors when Urn Marco murder retrial entered on what was expected to be the last day. Mr Meredith, resuming his address, said the ease was clearly one of veronal poisoning. If Mrs Mareo took it herself it was either suicide or misadventure. If, on the other hand, it was administered intentionally by someone else, then the act involved that person in the crime of murder. The Marcos had been married only 18 months, and the bride bad £SOO, of which her husband had dissipated £4OO. It was idle to say they were happy. Three bitter quarrels were known of, and there was an occasion when Mareo came home from Dixieland drunk. After indulgence in liquor restraint was lifted and the real state of mind indicated. Mareo abused his wife that night, and she'replied that she would go out into the street if he would give her back her £SOO. Then there was the mental attitude of the accused on the night he was driven home in a drunken condition by Eleanor Brownlee. It was clear Miss Brownlee came that night with the intention of stopping, for she equipped with her pyjama*. .She must have come on Marco’s invitation. Later Mareo, in a semi-dressed condition, hud ordered liis wife out, and said: Eleanor will look after me.” Then .there was Mareols accusation against his wife of perversion. By this time he had had no social relations with his wite, who had been entirely supplanted by Miss Brownlee. Mr Meredith referred to Mrs Marco’s brightness with Freda Stark on the Friday night and her request to come early next day. That was the picture of Mrs Mareo, but what of Mareo? Counsel then outlined the incident of the writing of a morbid letter to Betty Mareo concerning her parentage. Mr Meredith lengthily described the incidents of the fatal week-end, and, touching on the incident of giving the milk, said Doctor Giesen agreed that Marco’s subsequent sleepiness, together with the fact that he could not be roused, was consistent with Mareo having had a dose of veronal before the time Mrs Mareo was taken to the lavatory. Dr Giesen agreed also that the condition of Mrs Mareo was consistent with a dose of verpnal being taken just before she went to the lavatory. “ Now, gentlemen,” said Mr Meredith, ‘‘you get this startling position. Just before the milk was prepared they were apparently both free from the influence of veronal, so you have it that at the same time two different people were both showing signs of veronal. If Mrs Mareo got it at that time she got it only one way. It definitely must have been in the milk. Who had veronal in his possession at that time? Mareo. Who was out in the kitchen preparing the milk? Mareo. Then, taking the evidence of Mareo going under the influence, what possible inference can you draw but that when Mareo prepared the milk he put veronal in it, took some himself, and gave his wife the fatal dose ? Mr Meredith concluded his address at 12.20. HIS HONOUR SUMS UP. “ We are all human,” said His Honour, commencing his summing up to the jury, “ and whatever efforts we make wo are likely to err. In handling the great amount of material in this case if 1 should misstate anything it is your right and duty to help to correct me.” His Honour said it was for the prosecution to satisfy them beyond doubt that the charge had been proved. The jury would approach the matter with the same earnestness and degree of care as though their own lives depended on the right answer. The whole case had. to he tried to the • jury’s satisfaction on the evidence at this trial as though Mareo had never been tried before. The judge had not completed his summing up when the court adjourned for lunch.