MAREO RE-TRIAL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12885, 11 June 1936, Page 7

MAREO RE-TRIAL

NINTH DAY’S HEARING. FURTHER, medical evidence, gEMF-TOMS CONSISTENT WITH VERONAL DOSES. (Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 10. The Supneme Court this morning coXSieneed its ninth day in the heariirjj/f evidence in the re-trial of Erie y : ireo, aged 45 years, musician, who j s charged with having murdered his wife, Thelma Clarice Mareo, aged 29 years, by administering a hypnotic drug- \

•Dr. S. L. Ludbrook gave evidence corroborating the evidence given by Doctors Will ter Gilmour; and E. U. (huisoii. He Said that from the evidence given lie had come to the conclusion that Mrs. Mareo died of veronal poisoning, and that she probably had about lOC grains of veronal taken at cliffei'ent times. The witness considered a dose was taken on the Saturday morning. Her reported symptoms throughout the Sunday and the Monday were connstent with the effects of a. fmther dost, lie considered that, from the time she fell asleep after going to the lavatory until the arrival of. Dr. Dreadon, she was in a continuous coma. Possibly she had tlnv e doses. There may have been one on the Friday night, one on the Saturday morning and one early on the Sunday morning probably just before the lavatory incident. Possibly she had only two. and none on the Friday night. From the evidence lie did not think it possible that she could have taken veronal herself between the tim’j she awoke and the time she called Mi?s Freda Stark on the Saturday evening. A further dose would have produced sleep veiy rapidly, for she already had some veronal in her system.

COUNSEL’S CLASH WITH DOCTOR.

Replying to Mr. 11. F. O’Leary, counsel for the d: fence, the witness said he had not listened to Mr. O’Leary's cross-examination of Miss Freda Stark. * Mr. O’Leary: Why did you not lisJ ten to it r j The witness: I formed by opinions i on tlic-Widbnco m chief of Miss Shirk and listened to your cross-examina-t:ou of her at the last trial. Mr. O'Leary. And have younot done me the courtesy of listening tc my cross-examination on this occasion : j The witness: I have read part of it, but cannot give you any particular answer that Mis Stark gave you. The wisness agreed that, wliereas be had said during his evidence that Mrs. Mareo was awake from four to four and a-half houris on the Saturday night, his estimate at the previous trial was two hours.

ACCUSED’S COMMENTS TO DETECTIVE. Ijpetective-Sergeant Meiklejohn desscUVjrd in detail his activities in the Marbo home when he arrived there about eight o’clock on the night o. Mrs. Marco’s death.

Replying to his questions, Marco had said that he had bought- three lots of veronal from chemists within tho previous three Weeks. The witness had asked him if he had given his wife any and Mareo repjicd: “Do you think I am a murderer?” The -accused had said that kb had got veronal for sleeplessness, and remarked to the detective: “Do I look like a ding addict?”

STATEMENTS BY ACCUSED TO

POLICE

Detective-Sergeant Meiklgjohn told the jury that Mareo had made coinmen t.s while he was reading the statement he had; made. He said: “1 feel like a cad, saying all this, about my wife, but I have to protect myself.” He also said: “Is there anything in this to hang me? I feel like going and hanging myself, bringing all this-' veronal into the house”. Another statement Mareo made verbally was: “T do not want this to go down hut, between us, my wife was fonder of women than, of mien. You kiijfuw what I mean.” The statements made .;by Mareo to this police dealing with the purchase of ve,renal were next read. Recounting further investigations, .witness said that, on May 20, he found on. an ash heap at the hack of the house, in Tenterden Avenue, the burnt portion of an insurance policy with the name “Thelma” and the policy number. He described the arrpst of Mareo at Eleanor Brownlee’s room in Wvnward streat on. September 2 by himself and Detective Hamilton. When witness read the warrant .to him... charging him With thefmnrderi p.f his wife, Mar,co said: On.-what evidence? This is ridiculous. What evidence Rave you got?” The hearing was adjourned. -■"“■V. b <-.'•• .■ ' ' • I •