HAWKE’S BAY MURDER TRIAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 May 1935, Page 7

HAWKE’S BAY MURDER TRIAL

ACCUSED’S EVIDENCE

SERIES OF DENIALS [PEE press association.] HASTINGS, May 24. A climax was reached in the Price murder trial to-day, when the accused himself entered the box to give evidence. Price entered the box at 12.30 p.m., and he left it shortly before five o’clock, after lengthy cross-examina-tion, It is inevitable now that the case will extend over the week-end. The jury will again visit the scene of the crime to-morrow morning, after two of the Crown witnesses are recalled to give evidence in satisfaction of questions put by the Jury Foreman.

When the accused was giving evidence, his counsel, Mr Averill, asked: —Did you in any way do anything that would bring about Madden’s death? Price: No! I did not murder Eva Madden. I never laid a hand on her. I swear on oath that I am innocent of the charge with which I am accused! Mr Lusk (Crown Prosecutor): You told iis that yhen you left Lowry’s, you had £4 in notes, in addition to a £7/16/- cheque? Price: Yes.

When you were leaving Lowry, you told him that your father was coming from Sydney to put you on a property?—Yes. Your father had then been dead two years.—Yes.

Why did you tell Lowry a lie? —Because I didn’t want to be pestered by being asked to stop. You are not above telling what you believe’ to be untrue to get out of a little trouble are you?—l don’t know what you mean.

Referring to a later part of Price’s evidence, Mr Lusk asked Price when it was first suggested that Madden should go over to the Holliss’s.

I Price said that she first suggested it when they sat down after he had shown the girl the caves. „ Mr Lusk: Guild told us that, when you left the car, and before you went away with Madden, you told him. you were going to take her over to Holliss’s. —Price: No. I never said that.

Do you say he is lying?—No. I would say he is making a mistake. Where her body was found is in no way on the direct course to Holliss’s? —I don’t know where the body was found. I don’t know the whereabouts in the creek it~was found. Vou could see iMolliss’s farm from wnere you sat? —Yes. Did you watch Madden go?—No. I never looked. She went off down the hill.

Did that take her in the direction of that where she was. found? —No. I took her in the direction 'of Holliss’s. Do you wish the jury to believe that when she did not return in an hour, you deliberately went off in the car back to Napier?—Yes. I thought she would follow on. .

From the time she left you to the time you joined the car, did she have ample time to get to Holliss’s?—She had ample time while 1 .was lying there. You could walk it easy in twenty minutes. When you had given her ample time, why didn’t you go round and collect her? —It never entered my head. I came to the conclusion that she must have stayed at Holliss’s. You know Madden never reached Holliss’s, don’t you?—l couldn’t say. After further questions Price said that he was prepared to agree that Madden never reached Holliss’s. Mr Lusk: Then she must have died within the hour you were waiting?—• Price: I couldn’t say. You can give- me no explanation of her death? —No.

She was found in the water with her clothes disarranged. One stocking, and a shoe were, missing. A bloodstained hat and a cloak with bloodstains belonging to her were planted under a tea tree on the side of the bridge. Do you think she could have fallen on a rock, smashed her head, done that to her dress, and planted those things.—l don’t know, I’m sure. Do you think it possible?—l couldn’t say. ’

Don’t you think the girl was criminally assaulted, to judge from the way that her dress was disarranged? —I couldn’t say. We have it that the girl disappeared from your view. I put it to you that she must have met her death within an hour. You know nothing about it? —No. I thought she was still alive.

Mr Lusk followed this by asking why Price, on the way back to the car, crossed the creek in a direction opposite to that in which he left. Price gave the explanation that he saw a car in the distance, and thought that the driver must have grown tired of waiting and left. NO INQUIRY. Mr Lusk: You were in town from the 6th. to the 15th.? —Yes. During that time, did you make the slightest inquiry or attempt to find Madden? —No. I came to the conclusion that she had either stayed at Holliss’s, pr had gone on to Waipawa. And you had the rest of her possessions, and her trunk was at tho railway station? —So far as I knew. And for nine days you made no inquiry as to what became of her? No. '

Regarding bloodstains on his coat. Price said that the suit was one that he wore to the beach on Sunday, February 10, when lie cut his hand.

Price was then examined upon his statement that he had gone to the creek to get some water on the day that the police were investigating there.

Mr Lusk: And, apparently, you struck the very spot where Constable Dawson tells us the body was found? —I couldn’t say.

Ho said the body was found in the creek. You tell the jury you went down that morning simply to get some water? —Yes.

When the detectives arrived, you admit you told them a lie. You told them you left the girl at Heretaunga Street.—l got a fright. What were you frightened of?—I don't know.

What had you to hide?—Well, her body had been found. If a man is honest, he has nothing to fear in telling the truth.—l told them near enough. I got a fright, and didn’t know what to say.

Questioned regarding a statement he made at the Police Station, Price declared that he was not sober. He said he was stupid, and did not know what he was saying. His Honor: How much had you been drinking that day?

Price: I had three-quarters of a bottle of gin that morning at 10 o’clock, and then a mouthful of methylated spirits. His Honor: No drink except gin that day? Price: No.

The only other witness to be called by the defence was Lena Watson Nelson, a married woman, who was cook at Taheke Station in February last. She said she knew Price as a kindhearted man. She came forward voluntarily with this statement, when she heard, how serious the charge against Price was.

The Court adjourned till to-morrow.

ROLL OF NOTES

NAPIER, May 25.

The jury engaged in the trial of Price, to-day, paid a second visit to the scene of the alleged crime.

Following the hearing of evidence regarding the size of the roll of notes in Price’s possession, when he visited the Te Ante Hotel, the Court adjourned till Monday, and the jury departed for Argyll East. Norman John Guild, taxi-driver, and Gordon Hart, son of the licensee of the hotel, described the roll of notes respectively as the size of a penny and half-crown. They were shown a roll of notes by Mr. Justice Blair, and both stated it was smaller than the roll produced by Price. The roll shown by His Honor was prepared by the jury, and consisted of one £5 note, and three £1 notes.

“SHARK” CASE. [BY CABLE—PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] SYDNEY, May 24. Patrick Brady was to-day charged with the murder of James Smith (this being, the case in which the clue is the arm of a man disgorged by a shark at the Coogee Aquarium). He was remanded to May 31 on the charge. Brady was also charged with attempted forgery.