WIFE-MURDER CHARGE

Grey River Argus, 16 May 1944, Page 4

WIFE-MURDER CHARGE

Complication with U.S. Serviceman

P.A. AUCKLAND, May 15. The trial of Thomas Phillip Haworth, a chrome tanner, aged 32, on a charge that on March 16 at his home at Otahuhu he murdered his wife, Patricia' Florence Haworth, was opened before Mr. Justice Callan and a jury to-day. Mr. Meredith with Mr. E. O. Williams presented the Crown case and Mr. J. Terry appeared for the defence. Outlining the case, Mr. Meredith said that the evidence would show that Haworth and his wife made the acquaintance of an American serviceman at a friend’s place about the end of February. This serviceman named Osgood became a frequent visitor at the Haworth home and was there some days before Mrs. Haworth’s death, spending two nights there. Haworth was told that an affection had sprung up between the American and Mrs. Haworth, and it would be stated that Osgood told Haworth that he proposed to get a divorce from his wife and marry Mrs. Haworth if Haworth would give her a divorce, and that Haworth agreed to let his wife have a divorce a month after the other man’s divorce was obtained. On the day before Mrs. Hawbrth’s death the American came back again and at night went to Otahuhu with Mrs. Haworth, taking her back home at about 11 p.m. On the day of the alleged murder Haworth was seen to leave his work at about ten in the morning, cycling away with his working clothes.