MARITAL TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 23444, 8 December 1939, Page 11

MARITAL TRAGEDY

THE HOTEL DRAMA STATEMENTS OF PRINCIPALS BOTH TO STAND TRIAL [Per Unite® Press Association.] AUCKLAND, December 7. Evidence alleging a suicide pact was given in the Police Court when a man and a married woman, who were found with their wrists gashed in a bedroom of the Station Hotel on November 6, appeared before Mr F. H. Levien, S.M The accused were Francis Leonard Laurie, a storeman, aged 39, and Josephine Norton Laycock, aged 34. Pleas of not guilty were entered by both accused, who were committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Laurie was charged with attempting to murder Laycock on November 6 and aiding and abbetting in the suicide of his wife, Beatrice Florence Rita Laurie, on November 5. Laycock was charged with aiding and abetting Laurie in attempting to murder her. In a statement made to Detectivesergeant Walsh at the Auckland Hospital, Laurie said he became friendly with Mrs Laycock, who lived next door to his home at Belmont, about a year ago. “ I became violently in love with Mrs Laycock,” Laurie continued, “We talked things over and decided the only thing we could do was go away together and then die together. Mrs Laycock agreed to this. “ I found I could not do without Mrs Laycock, and told ray wife I would see her and try to get her to go aw'ay with mo. I went to Laycock’s house and Mrs Laycock said she would come away with me. I returned to tell my wife we were going away together and would end it all. I told her I intended to take with me a bottle of laudanum and we both intended _to drink some, and that, when the poison took effect, 1 would sever an artery in Mrs Laycock’s arm and treat myself in the same way. My wife asked me to give her some of the poison, and I poured a quantity into a small glass,” Laurie added. “My reason for doing this was because I did not want to leave my wife to carry on alone. When I left home about noon I took the remainder of the laudanum and two safety razor blades. I arranged for a taxi to call for Mrs Laycock, and I came to the city to wait for her. We drove to the Station Hotel in the taxi. I booked in as Mr and Mrs Laurie. At about 2 a.m. we decided to carry out our pact. I got up and poured half the poison into a glass and handed it to Mrs Laycock, who drank it. The poison appeared to have no effect on her, and at her request I gave her some whisky. This also did not have the desired effect, and I gave her my portion of the poison, hoping it would have the desired result, but it did not. “ I then asked Mrs Laycock if she still wanted to complete our pact,” Laurie’s statement continued. “ She emphatically answered, ‘ Yes.’ I procured one of the razor blades and endeavoured to sever an artery in her left wrist. This bled freely for some stopped. again asked, her if she wished to carry on, and she said, ‘ Yes.’ X then made a second attempt by deepening the first cut. This caused intense bleeding as if the main artery had been cut. 11 1 then decided to sever the artery in my own arm. I used the other razor blade and cut my wrist, which bled freely for a time but later stopped. I then deepened the cut with a view to reaching the artery. It caused intense bleeding, but stopped again. “ The next thing that happened was the housemaid knocking at the door,” Laurie stated. “ I made a second incision in my wrist. I wanted to hurry things along. I thought Mrs Laycock was dead and I wanted to follow her.”

Detective-sergeant Walsh said that when he interviewed Laurie in hospital he explained that he had procured the poison from the medicine chest of a trawler. “ He asked m,e if I could tell him anything about his wife,” said Detective Walsh. “ I told him she had been found dead, and he said * I am glad that she is ’gone.’ He also asked me if I would be seeing Mrs Laycock. 1 told him she was very ill and I might not be seeing her. He then said: ‘ If she is not dead give her a push off for me.’ ” MRS LAYCOCK’S STORY. Interviewed; at Auckland Hospital, the accused Laycock made a statement to Detective Walsh. The statement detailed the movements of the two accused after their meeting in the city until they retired at night. “ We went to the bedroom about 8 p.m.,” it continued. “ I undressed as soon as we went in. Frank placed a small bottle in the drawer ;: of the chest, first scraping off some of the label. “ Shortly after, he got up and poured about half the contents of the bottle into a glass. He told me it contained laudanum, morphia, and opium pills. I asked for a drink of whisky before taking the poison, but he would not give it to me. I tried to put him off giving me the poison. I asked him to put it down the sink. I eventually drank it. I lay on the bed, but could not go to sleep. He gave me a second glass of the poison, which had no effect, and then gave me a good deal of whisky. I did not lose consciousness.” Laycock stated. “ My body felt dead and I could not get out of bed. Frank accused me or being a coward and that I was trying to cheat him. He struck me about the face. He then got a razor blade and wanted to cut my wrist. I did not want him to do this, but he caught mo by the left arm and cut my wrist. I remember him using the razor blade on my wrist a second time. He said he had to get the cut deeper.” LETTER TO HUSBAND. A letter left by the accused Laycock for her husband was produced by Detective Walsh. In part it stated “ Darling Dave, when yon receive this I shall be miles away from Auckland. perhaps dead, dear. Frank has been in love with me for 12 months.

He told Rita, and has given me no option but to go away, as he threatens to kill her and himself. I can’t face that, so I must go with him. “ Dave. I have only loved you and David [her son] in my life, and we have had 15 of the happiest years together. Think of that and try not to miss me too much. Prank seems to be mad; he will not listen to any reason. You hn9W I have never wanted any man’s love; it has always come my easy-going way. I have been so happy. If only this tragedy hadn’t happened.” Detective-sergeant Walsh gave evidence of visiting Laurie’s home on November 6, when his wife was found dead with her head lying on a cushion near the gas stove, five jets of which were turned full on. Near the body, he said, were found two bank books, in one of which there was £l3 in notes. One book was in her own name and the other in the names of her husband and herself. He also found a note which stated: “ I leave everything 1 possess, personal and otherwise, to my sister and my brother to be divided equally. Please cremate me. This is the only way. Love to all. Forgive me.—Rita Laurie.” LAURIE REFUSED BAIL. The accused were committed for trial. Both counsel applied for bail. It was granted to Laycock in the sum of £250, with a surety for £250, a condition being that she stay with her mother. In refusing Laurie bail, the Magistrate said there were peculiar features about the case which made it undesirable that both the accused should be released.