DEFENCE OPENS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12886, 12 June 1936, Page 5

DEFENCE OPENS

'BET RIAL OF MAREO. COUNSEL’S ADDRESS. CROWN’S THEORY OF DEATH MISADVENTURE OR DESIRE OUTLINE OF AUSTRALIAN WITNESS’ EVIDENCE. (Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 11. The evidence l'or the prosecution •was completed this morning when the Supreme Court commenced its tenth day in the retrial of Eric Marco, ag<>d 40 years, musician, who is charged with having murdered his wife, Thelma Clarice Atai’eo ,aged' 29 vcUrs, by administering a hypnotic drug. Detective Hamilton corroborated Detective Aleiklejohn’s account of the interview- with Mareo on the night ot Mrs. Mareo’s death. The accused had

'did: “I’ve had a double whisky and havo got a botlte of brandy, in the car to make me sleep to-ir'ght. 1 feel like doing myself in.” When reading his statement over, the accused had said: “Do you think anything in this will hang me?”

Cross-examined by Mr. R. C. Aokins, counsel for the defence. Detective Hamilton said that while giving his first statement the accused had said quite often in an affectionate way: “Poor darling,” and “Poor dear.”,

To- His lionohr, the witness saiu that Mareo was perfectly sober at the time he gave the first statement, although he said lie had just had a double whisky. “Under the circumstances I expected to see him much more excited than he was,” the witness added.

Replying to the Crown Prosecutor, Mr. V. H. Meredith, the detective said that Mareo showed excitability when ho was asked if lie- had given his wife veronal.

The last witness for the Crown, Detective J. B. McLean, gave corroborative evidence. He added that when tho accused was reading the liist statement, he had said: “Beading this thing through, 1 would just ns quickly go out and hang by my ow n hand. 1 ’

Aftfer Mr. T. Henry’s cross-examin-ation, Mr. Meredith announced that the prosecution was completed. "WITNESSES TO BE CALLED. Replying to Ills Honor, Mr. H. F. O’Leary,, counsel for the defence, said he intended to call witnesses for the defence. Opening the case for the d:fence, Mr. O’Leary asked the jury not to 1 “ influenced by the fact that the Court of Appeal did not grant a new trial. There was no new evidence before the Court, of Appeal, but. tire Executive Council had b,afore it new evidence—which the jury would hear —and granted u new trial.

j#, l-’OUE ALTERNATIVES. “There is no doubt that Mrs. MnTeo died of veronal poisoning,” .said Mr. O'Leary. “Th-? question is how did the veronal get into her body? Did she take it herself? Did Mareo give it to her? Did Miss. Freda Stark give it to her? Did Graham .Marco give it to her? “From these four alternatives, tho Crown selects one—that E r ic Mareo, way responsible for his wife’s death.” Mareo in all his statements had denied giving veronal to his wife, .continued Air O’Leary. The likely one or thb four 'alternatives was that Mrs. Mareo took it herself, either by accident or desire, cither by misadventure or with the intention of bringing about her death. The defence sug gested that she had a medicinal dose on the Friday, certainly a dose on the •Saturday morning, and that on tho Saturday night ahe got up, or per'haps did not get up, that she took a dosk, all that was available. The defence contended if was not necessary for her to havo a dose on the Saturday night, and would call Dr. Pagett, who would toll of a- case iu Taranaki where a sufferer who had taken veronal went into a state of coma. and later roused, to lapse subsequentlr again and die without having any more veronal, much to the surprise of the medical men interested in the case.

MBS. MAREO ALLEGEDLY TOOK VERONAL IX AUSTRALIA. Continuing, Mr. O'Leary said that the defence would call Alexandci Wliitingdon, an accountant, of Adelaide, who knew Mrs. Mareo, then Thelma Trotfc, as a'member of a variety company visiting Adelaide ju April of V-.YAO, and would say that on at least 12 occasions lie saw her take veronal tablets. 1L“ remonstrated with her, but she said she took them to induce sleep. In October of 1931, lie saw her in Melboumb and again saw her taking veional. He saw an accoimt of the opening of the Marco trial in the Adelaide, papers m February .last and consulted a barrister, and Jat'r comnmnieat'.d with Mr, O’Leary, There were also some people named Iliano connected with the Ernest Bolls Revue Company, Mrs. Biano Ry.lt impelled to come forward to testify that Thelma toook sleeping drugs. EXPERIENCES UNDER VERONAL. Other witnesses would r he a Mr. Beattie, a.•schoolmaster near Marten, who would tell of his experibnees when he had been prescribed veronal.; also a Mr. and Mrs. Meissner, ot Havelock North, who -would describe Mrs. Meissner’s experience when prescribed barbitone. . Mr. O’Lbary attacked the medical evidence and said he would call a Wellington doctor to refute the evidence that Mrs, Marco must have had a dose on the Saturday night.

• onduded his address atfethey adjournment of thfc court for luncheon. : . ■

STRANGE EFFECTS OF VERONAL NEW ZEALAND RESIDENTS’ EXPERIENCES WHEN TINDER ITS INFLUENCE WOULD SEARCH FOR MORE Continuing his address, Mr O’Leary saiid two parties had come forward and. would' be called to tell their experiences. Mr Beattie, who was a schoolmaster near Marton, would tell how he was proscribed veronal and, took two tablets. He found, that it did not have the required effect. He took two mere and he did not wake up next morning and when ;he did come round he was in a state of collapse. He was: astounded at the condition he wa,s in after taking only four tablets. Going to his store of veronal of veronal to take two more tablets for the night, he found the -stone was gone. Hey came to the conclusion that he must have got up. during the night and taken the whole supply. Then Mr and Mrs Meissner, of Havelock North, would tell how Mrs Meissner was proscribed barbitone which was the same as veronal. She only took one tablet at a time. Mr Meissner took the tablets away unknown to her and l hid them in a clipboard in tho bathroom. Mrs Meissner remembered getting out of bed), -staggering -about- in ' a, dazed fashion and eventually finding herself in. the bathroom. She recollected getting up on. a chair, finding' veronal in the cupboard and taking i\ in sumei ,wny she knew not how. Mr Meiasnes found the box empty alter lie roused her up and-: fed her. She went back info a heavy sleep again. Mr O’Leary went- on, Lu tell how he would call a, Wellington, doctor to rolutd the evidence that Airs Mareo must-have had ’a- doUe on the Saturday night.

EVIDENCE FDll THE DEFENCE

A WITNESS FROM ADELAIDE

FREQUENTLY SAW AIRS. MAREO

TAKE VERONAL

(Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June H

The first of the defence witnesses, Alexander Peter Whitingdon, accountant diving at Adelaide, said lie had never seen Marco before he became acquainted with a young woman namhd Thelma Trott towards the cud of 1928. She was ’appearing in a musical comedy at an Adelaide- theatre for some months. He became friendly with her and on occasions lie accompanied her to her hotel room in Adelaide. About the- first occasion on which he had supper with her i her hotel room, he saw her taking white pills from a bottle with veronal on the label. Witness remarked as near as he could remember: “What are you taking those things for?” Sht had replied: “I find it hand to sleep.” Witness said he thought she was very foolish and should go to see a doctor, lie could not say how many tablets she took. She placed a tablet or tablets in her mouth and took a drink of milk. Hb saw her take- tablets on at least a dozen occasions altogether. He thought he s;.u her take alcohol only once. Thelma Trntt was very depressed and Worried over those months, continued, witness. He had seen her again on occasions, but saw no tablet faking- until lie met her again towards the end of 1931, when witness spent a five weeks’ holiday in Melbourne. There- Miss Trott was rehearsing tor Ernest Rolls’ production. Again she seemed to ba depressed and worried. “The world always seemed to hc-n to be- a place of conspiracy and oppression,” said witness. He saw her taking veronal tablets —two he thought one night with milk. He saw her do this more than once. He told her again she was foolish, but her rc-ply was that she was only taking them medicinally. “I saw her on the mornings and after tho nights when I knew she had taken veronal,” said witness. “She- always had a glassy appearance about the eyes. It was most marked and she had a ‘dopey’ appearance.” Witness said he saw those appearance often between June 1932 and early in 1233 when she warworking in Melbourne. He never saw Miss Trott again after she left. Answering Mr, Meredith, witness said he did Ant know that, with two tablets of veronfil, one fell asleep in half an hour and stayed asleap for six to eight hours. Mr. Meredith: “If 1 told you that tho operation of ten grams- of veronal would mean tile possibility of: sleep within -half an hour would you exp’jct a. sensible girl to take these 10 grains before going out .to supper at a place other than where she liv-ed;-"’—“No, under those, conditions, 1 would not.” . y....... .

“You have spoken of her bsing depressed. It follows that she was not a cheerful companion/’'— ‘‘Yes. ‘fWhy, then, did you seek, so much of her -society?’’—Vl ; was interested in her case and I rather admired her in lots of ways.” “Were you married at the tune?” —“Yes.” “Was Airs. Whiliriglon i uteres led in this case-'”—“No.” <l ; Did you interest h:r in this case?”—“No, 1 was separated from my wife at the time.’’ ACTRESS FROM. MELBOURNE TESTIFIES. HAD SEEN MRS. MAREO INTOXICATED. Jane Itiano Neil, actre is, of Melbourne, who said her stage mime was Jane Riano, stud she, was a member of the Ernest Rolls’ .Company with Thelma Trott. 'Just before the New Zealand tour., witness said Rolls asreducing the siz-j of the ■ company on the ground of expense and .he spoke of dismissing Miss Trott, who threatened to do away with herself if she were not taken.. She .was included in the company and visited New Zealand. On the vessel during the voyage, witness continued, there w r as a party at which Miss Trott became intoxicated. On one occasion, when -witness visited Miss Trott’s cabin, she saw a bottle of bai-bitone there. Witness then described occasions during tbs company’s stay in Auckland when Miss Trott was under the influence ot liquor. She was described as a period ical drinker, not a steady drinker. The bearing was adjourned.