SUITCASE TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 23013, 19 July 1938, Page 12

SUITCASE TRAGEDY

PARRICIDE TRIAL COMMENCES WILL LAST FOUR DAYS [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, July 19. In the Supreme Court, the trial of Douglas Alexander Armstrong, a titter and turner, aged 21, on a charge of murdering his father, Edwin Norman Armstrong, at Wellington on May (i, was started to-day. The jury was empanelled at noon, and the court rose until 2 o’clock to allow the police to make arrangements for the jurors, who will be kept together for the course of the trial, which is expected to last between three and four days. It is understood that 22 witnesses will be called for the Crown, one more than in the Magistrate’s Court. The remains of Edwin Armstrong were found in two suit cases below Picton wharf. The Chief Justice (Sir Michael Mvers) is on the Bench, the Crown Prosecutor (Mr W. H. Cunningham) is conducting the case for the Crown, and Mr H. E, O’Leary, K.C., with him Mr 1). Poster appears for Armstrong. The back of the court was tilled with the jury panel at noon, and there were few other spectators. Mr O’Leary challenged live times, and the Crown Prosecutor challenged two men and stood aside two. William Dysart is the foreman of the jury. The judge pointed out to the jury that, the charge being one of murder, it was required, that the members of the jury be kept together. Necessarily, they might be put individually to some little inconvenience, but that inconvenience would be minimised as far as possible. The case would last three and a-half days, possibly’ four, and they would have ample time in which to make their domestic arrangements through the police before the court resumed.