NORTHCOTE MURDER-TRIAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 March 1930, Page 5

NORTHCOTE MURDER-TRIAL

EVIDENCE AGAINST HUSBAND ALLEGATIONS OF CRUELTY [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, March 31. The hearing of the charge against Arthur Thomas Munn, 45, furniture worker, of Northcote, for the murder of his wife, Lillie May Munn, at Northcote, on February 11, commenced before Magistrate Hunt, to-day. R. M. Riddle, Public Works draughtsman, produced plans of the interior of accused’s house.

Mrs Sarah Campbell of Wellington, mother of the deceased, stated in evidence, that deceased first married W. Westerby, in November 1917. Westerby went to the war and died of pneumonia in England. There were no children of that marriage. On March 12, 1920, deceased married accused at Greytown. A little time later, they removed to Northcote. There were two children of the marriage, girls aged 5 and 9. Deceased corresponded with witness regularly every week. The last letter was dated February 9. Deceased wrote: “I can only write a note to you lying in bed. I came over very queer on Tuesday morning. Arthur got a doctor and he was here a long time. He stuck a needle in my arm, and took away some blood to test. I think it is blood pressure and nervous trouble. Arthur is just goodness itself, Mum, and is looking after me well. Don’t worry, I’m getting well.” Witness said that the writing on the inside of the letter card was de-, ceased’s, written in pencil. The outside was addressed in ink. Witness thought this was accused’s writing. Witness said that her daughter had £lOO when she married Munn. Witness understood that deceased afterwards put it into the house at Northcote. Witness said that deceased had a- lovely disposition, was cheerful and bright, and not at all despondent. Dorothy Munn, aged nineteen, said in evidence that she was at present residing with her mother, who ■was divorced from accused. Witness, until three years ago, lived with her father at Northcote.

Answering a question by counsel, witness replied that accused was very cruel to Mrs Munn in many ways. She had seen accused strike his wife on two occasions. Once his blow was hard, and severe, witji his clenched hand, and it made her fall. On another occasion accused went to the fireplace where deceased was stirring some jam. He took the jam stick from her, and struck her shoulder with it.

“What was her attitude towards accused,” asked Mr Meredith, Grown Prosecutor. “She was always doing all she possibly could for him.” Witness said that she left home because accused was so cruel to her. Accused told her she would have to come home every week-end she had off, or he would put the police on to her. She afterwards refused to go home, and advertised for her own mother and went to live with her. Mr Meredith: Who got your wages? Witness: I kept them myself, but he wanted to take them.

Mavis Leonie Munn, another daughter of accused, with her mother, said she left her father’s home about two months after her sister Dorothy left. “Up to the time I left,” she added, “my father never treated the deceased with any respect, and always spoke to her roughly. I have never seen him strike her, but I have seen him chasing her into the bedroom. She then barricaded the door when he kept pushing on it.” Accused’s behaviour to her stepmother had not altered up to the time when witness left home. Oliver Arthur Herbert Munn, 21, said that he had seen his father strike and push his stepmother many times. She was always meek and mild, trying to keep the peace for the children’s sake. Accused ran the house. Witness was living at home until a year ago. Robert Rowan Bell, solicitor, deposed to receiving a letter from Mrs Munn on December 24 last, instructing him to make a will leaving everything to Munn. This was signed on January 15, with Munn as sole legatee. , (Proceeding).