PRICE IN THE BOX

Grey River Argus, 25 May 1935, Page 5

PRICE IN THE BOX

MURDER TRIAL Denial of the Charge (Per Press Association). NAPIER, May 24. The hearing of the murder charge against Price was continued to-day. James North Lowry, recalled, said ■hat accused was a particularly kind man to animals, especially to horses. Herbert Coddington, detective, was the last witness called by the Crown. He detailed the events which led to the arrest of the accused on ‘he night of February 6. Al the conclusion of the Crown’s ease, i> was announced that accused would go into the witness box in his own defence. Counsel said that there had been many rumours but a man's guilt could not- l»e .assumed. It had to be proved. The defence knew nothing as to how Madden met her death. The last time she wa.q seen by accused, she was alive and reasonably well. The only difference between the ease for the Crown and the defence was what happened during the hour and 20 inutes after lhe couple loft the ear a* Tahoka, station. M s Madden was anxious to know if lhe Hollis family •’< rolaH'd to the Hollis family she knew in the Old Country. In crossing the hills Miss Madden became ill and both sat down. Later Miss Madden wanted to go to the Hollis home to look for a situation. but accused demurred, and she went on alone, ac- • used agreeing to wait for thirty minutes Accused went to sleep. On wakening, he returned to the taxi. TTo would Bony telling Guild that ho had boon given .£3O by Madden. He repented being too quick and went the next day to Hastings to see if she had returned. Ho had visited the creek when stopped by a policeman, to got frosh water to mix with gin. Accused then wont in'o the 1 ox and commenced to give evidence ns out lined by his counsel. CLIMAX OF CASE. HASTINGS May 24. A climax was reached in the Price murder trial to-day, when the accused himself entered the box to o-ive evidence. At the close of his evidence in chief, in reply to a question by Mr Averill as to whether he did anything which, in any way, would lead to the death of the Madden girl. He said: “No! I did not murder Eva Madden. I never laid a hand on her. I swear on oath 1 am innocent of the charge with which 1 am accused.” Price entered the box :vt 12.30 p.m.. and he left it shortly before five o clock after lengthy 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 oi questions put by the Jury Foreman. EVIDENCE OF PRICE. M hen the accused was giving evidence, Mr Averill ayked:—“Did you in any way do anything that would bring about Madden’s death?’’ Price: “No! I did not murder Eva Madden. ] never laid a hand on her. I swear ou oath that I am innocent ot the charge with which I am accused!” Mr Lusk: “You told us that when you left Lowry’s, you had £4 in notes, in addition 'to a £7 16s cheque?’’

Price. “Yes.” Mr Lusk: “When you were leaving Lowry, you told him that your father was coming from Sydney to put you on a property?” Price: “Yes.” Your father had then been dead two years Price: “Yes.” “Why did you tell Lowry a lie?” Witness; “Because I did’nt 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?” Price: “I 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. Price yaid that she first suggested it when they sail 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 Hol--I'iss’s. Price: No. I never said that. Do you say he is lying? Price: No. I would say he is making a mistake. Where her body way found is in no way on the direct course to Holliss’s. Price: I don’t know where the body was found. 1 don’t know the whereabouts in the creek it was found. You could see Holliss’s from where you saiti Price: Yes. Did you watch Madden go? Price: No. I never looked. She went off down the hill. Did that take her in the direction of that where she was found. Price. 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? Price: 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 got to Holliss’s. Price: 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? Price; It never entered niy head. J came to the conclusion that she must have stayed at Holliss’s You know* Madden never reached Holliss’s*. don’t you? Price: I 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 •' Hhin the hour you wore waiting? Price; T could,n’t stay. You can give me no explanation of her death? Price: No. Aho was found in the water with her clothes disarranged. One stocking a<nd a shoo were missing. A bloodstained bat and a cloak with bloodstains belonging Ito her were planted under a i tea tree on the side of the bridge.

D'o you think she could have fallen on a rock, smashed .her head, done that tn her dress and planted those things Price; I don’t know, I’m sure. Do you think it possible? Price; f eouldm’t sav. Don’t you think the girl was criminally assau’ted, to judge from the way that her dross was disarranged? Price: I couldn’t say. We have it that the girl disappeared from your view. T put it to you that she must have met her death within an hour. You know nothing about it? Price: No. I thought she was still alive. Mr Lusk followed this by asking why Price, on the wav back to the oar. crossed the creek in -i direction opposite to that in which ho left. Price gave the expnnntion that he saw a car in the distance and thought that the driver must have grown tired of waiting, and left. Mr Lusk; You were in town from the 6th. to the 15th? , Price: Yes. During that time, did you make the slightest inquiry or attempt to find Madden ? Price; No. I came to the conclusion that she had either stayed at Holliss’s or had gone on to Waipawa. And you had the rest of her possessions. and her trunk was at the railway station ? Price: So far as T knew. And for nine days you made no inquiry as to what became of her? Price; No. Regarding bloodstains on his coat. Price said that the suit was one that he wore to tlie beach on Sunday, February 10, when he 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? Price: I couldn’t say. He said the body was found in the creek. You tell the jury you went down that morning simply to get some water. Price: Yes. When the detectives arrived, you admit you told them a lie. You told' them you left the girl at Heretaunga Street. Price: I got a fright. What were you frightened of? Price: I don’t know. What had you to hide? Price: Well, her body had been found. If a man is honest, he has nothing to fear in telling the truth. Price: I 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 defence wa s Lona Watson Nelson, a married woman, who was cook at T:’heke Station in February lasL She said she knew Price a s a kind-hearted man. She camo forward voluntarily with this statement when she hoard how serious the charge against Price wa s. The Court adjourned till to-morrow. Murder Charge IN SOUTH CANTERBURY. (Per Press Association). TIMARIL May 24. At the Magi-l Court, to day n further remand granted ■ till Thursday next in the case of D ’Arev Walter Shaw, cl.:i• m-.-J with Hie murder of Wnl'or Sb-w, ;i t Pleasant Vnl lev. on Mav 16. Detective T’- fb,.*- a< cnsed was s’iH under <>b :frva T ion in Christchurch.