ALLEGED MURDER

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 August 1930, Page 5

ALLEGED MURDER

TRIAL AT WANGANUI

DOCTORS' EVIDENCE

[PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WANGANUI, August 11.

i A true bill was recorded at the ■Supreme Court against Herbert Frederick Manley for the murder of Gladys Barrington Cromarty, and the trial commenced. Mr. P. R. Bain is for the Crown, and Mr. J. Treadwell and Mr. B. C. Haggitt for the accused. Considerable time was taken in submitting plans of the Cromerty dwelling by Norman Annabelle, civil engineer. Dr. Adams gave evidence of seeing the body of the deceased lying in a prone position on the floor. There was an incision right across the throat. On the day following the tragedy, he made a post mortem examination of the body. He was of opinion that the wound in the girl’s throat could not have been self-in-inflicted. It would have required a reasonable amount of force. Dr. Lynch, pathologist, said he examined the shirt produced in court. There were bloodstains on the left cuff. These were tested and proved to be human blood splashes. The blood on the trousers also proved to be human blood. He had also examined a knife (produced). This showed blood smears on the handle. Scrapings from the handle proved to be human blood.

(Proceeding)

MURDER AND SUICIDE

AUCKLAND FARMER’S DEED

AUCKLAND, august 9.

Henry John Millen, aged 39, a farmer, of Pakuranga, shot his wife. Hilda Millen, aged 35 years, and then shot himself in Howicu township this morning.

The couple, who had one son, had been living apart. The wife had been living ’ with her sister-in-law in Howick. The husband arrived about nine o’clock in a ear, and he talked to his wife on the verandah. Millen then went to his car, and took out a shot gun. His wife, on seeing the gun, started to run awaj’, but the man caught her. He fired the gun, but it misfired. Millen, however, fired again, and shot his wife through the heart.

The man then took off his coat and overcoat, reloaded the gun in both barrels, bumped the gun in the road, way, and fell dead.

A little girl of thirteen witnessed the whole tragedy. Millen had owned trotting horses, the best known of which was Lord Roberts.