RETRIAL OF MAREO

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 152, 12 June 1936, Page 8

RETRIAL OF MAREO

Counsel Calls Evidence for Defence AUSTRALIAN WITNESSES By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, Juno 11. Evidence for the defence in the trial of Eric Mareo on the charge of murdering his wife, Thelma Clarice Mareo, was heard to-day. Thu prosecutiou is being conducted by Inn Crown Prosecutor, Mr V. R, Meredith, and with him is Mr I’. McCartny. The defence is again in the hands ox Mr li. E. o’Leary, K.C., Wellington, supported by Mr T. Henry and K. C. Aekius. Mr. O'Leary said that the defence would call Alexander Whitington, accountant, Adelaide, who Knew Mrs. Mareo (then Thelma Trott) as a member of a variety company visiting Adelaide in April, 192 V, and would say that on at least 12 occasions he saw her take veronal tablets, tie remonstrated with Her, but she said also look them to induce sleep. In October, IV3I, he saw hei at Melbourne and again saw her taking veronal, He saw an account of the opening ol the iVlureu trial m Adelaide papers in Febbuary last, consulted a barrister and lated communicated with him (Air. u heary.

There were also some people named Riano, connected with the truest Kohs Revue Company, said Mr. O'Leary Airs. Riano tell impelled W come forward and testily that Thelma Irott took sleeping drugs. Other witnesses would be Mr. Beattie, a schoolmaster near Marton, who would tell ol his experiences when be had been prescribed veronal; also Air. and Airs. Aleissuer, ol Havelock North, who would describe Airs. Alessner’s experience when prescribed barbitone.

Air. O’Leary attacked the medical evidence and said he would call a Wellington doctor to refute the evidence that Mrs. Mareo must have bad a dose on Saturday uight.

EFFECT OF VERONAL. Air. O’Leary said that Air. Beattie, who was a schoolmaster near Marton, would tell how he was prescribed veronal and took two tablets lie louud that it did not have the required effect so took two more. He did not wake uext morning and, when he did come round, he was in a state ol collapse. He was astounded at the condition he was in alter taking only two tablets. On going to his store ol veronal to take two mole tablets lor the night, he found the store was gone. He camo to the conclusion that he must have got up during the night before and taken the whole supply. Then, Air. and Mis. Meissner, ol Havelock North, would tell how Mrs. Meissner was prescribed barbitone, which was the same as veronal, She took only one tablet at a time. Air Meissner took the tablets away unknown to her and bid them m a cupboard in the bathioom. Mrs. Meissner remembered getting out or bed, staggering about 111 a dazed fashion and eventually Undiug herselt in the bathroom ; she recollected getting up on a chair and finding the veronal iu the cupboard and taking it, in some way, she knew not how. Mr. Meissner found the box empty. Alter he roused her tip and fed her she went into a heavy sleep again. white pills in a bottle. The first of the defence witnesses, Alexander Peter Whitington, accountant, living at Adelaide, said he had never seen Alarco before he became acquainted with a young womau named Thelma Trott towards the end of 1923. She was appearing in a musical comedy at the Adelaide theatre for some months. He became friendly with her and on occasions accompanied her to her hotel room in Adelaide. About the first occasion on which he had supper with her at her hotel room ho 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?” She had replied; “1 find it lia.d to sleep.” Witness said he thought she was very foolish and should go to see a doctor. He could not say how many tablets she took. She placed the tablet or tablets in her mouth and took a drink of milk. He saw her take tablets on at least a dozen occasions altogether. He thought he saw her take alcohol only once. Thelma Trott was very depressed and worried over those months, continued witness. He saw her again on evasions, but saw no tablet-taking until he met her again towards the end of 1931, when witness spent five weeks’ holiday in Melbourne. Miss Trott was rehearsing there for an Ernest Rolls production. Again she seemed to be depressed and worried. “The world always seemed to her to be a sort of conspiracy of 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 that she was foolish, but her reply was that she was only taking them medicinally. “I saw her on mornings after nights when 1 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.” CROSS-EXAMINED. Witness said he saw those appearances often between June, 1932, and early in 1933, when he was in Melbourne. Ho never saw Alias Trott again after she left. Answering Air. Meredith, witness said he did not know that, with two tablets of veronal one fell asleep in half an hour ami stayed asleep for from six to eight hours Mr. Alereditb: Il I told you .that the operation of 10 grains of veronal would mean the possibility of sleep within hall' an hour, would you expect a sensible girl to take these 10 grains before going out to supper at a place other than where she lives? — “No. In those conditions I would not.” You have spoken of her as being depressed. Jt follows that she was not a cheerful companion?—“Yes.” Why then did you seek so much of her society?—“l was interested in her case and I rather admired her in lots of ways.” Were you married at. the time?— "Yes.” Was Mrs. Whitington interested in tills ease —“No.” I Did you interest her in this case —

“No. I was separted from my wife at the time.”

Jane Riano Neil, actress, of Melbourne, who said her stage name was Jane Riano. said she was a member of the Ernest Rolls Company with 1 belma Trott. Just before the New Zealand tour, witness said, Rolls was reducing tho size of the company on the ground of expense and lie spoke of dismissing AJiss 'lrott, who threatened to do away with hersell if she were not taken. She was included in the company and visited New Zealand.

On the vessel during the voyage, witness continued, there was a party at which Miss Trott became intoxicated. On one occasion when witness visited Miss Trott's cabin she saw a bottle of barbitone there. Witness then described occasions during the company’s stay in Auckland when Miss Trott was under the influence of liquor. She was described as a periodical drinker, not a steady drinker. The hearing wag adjourned.