ARGYLL MURDER.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 25 May 1935, Page 7

ARGYLL MURDER.

ACCUSED’S PLEA FROM WITNESS to* f BOX. CLIMAX IN SENSATIONAL TRIAL , HASTINGS, Last Night. A climax was reached in the Price murder trial to-day when accused himself entered the box to give evidence. At the close of his evidence in chief, in reply to a question by Mr S. Averill, his counsel, whether he did anything, which in any way would leac} to the death of Miss Madden, he said: “No; I did not murder Eva Madden. X never laid a hand on her. I swear on oath I am innocent of the charge with which I am accused.” Price entered the witness-box at ■ 32:30 and left it shortly before 5 p.m., after lengthy cross-examination. 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 of questions by the jury foreman. . At, the conclusion of the Crown’s case it was announced that the accused would go into the witness box in bis own defence. Counsel said there bad beet • many rumours, but the man’s guilt could not be assumed. It had to b e proved. The defence knew nothing as to how Miss Madden met her death. - v Last time she was seen by the accused .she was alive and reasonably well. The only difference between the case for the Crown and defence was what had .happened during an hour and 20 minutes after the eoupie left the car at Tahoke station. Miss Madden was anxious to know if the Hollis family was related 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 Hoilis’ home to look for a situation, but the accused demurred uad she went oh alone. Accused agreed to wait 30 minutes. He went to sleep and on awakening he returned to the taxi. He would deny telling Guild that he had boon given £3O by Miss Madden, tie had repealed for being too quick and next day went "to Hastings to see H .die had returned He had, visited the creek who ‘'topped by the policeman to get - ‘fresh wafer to mix with gin. Accused then wont into the box and ■commenced to give evidence us out: lined by his counsel. Mr Averill: Did you in any way do ..anything that would bring about Miss Madden’s death? Price: No; I did not murder Eva Madden. I never land a hand on her. ■ I swear on oath that lam innocent ofthe charge With which I am accused. Mr Lusk (Crown Prosecutor): You told us that when you left Lowry’s von had £4 in notes in addition to a £7 IGs cheque. —Yes. v Mr Lusk: When you were leaving 1 Lowry you told him that your father was. coming from Sydney to put you ■on a property. —Yes. Your father had then been dead two years?—Yes. Why did you toll Lowry a lie? Accused: Because I-didn’t want to be pestered by being asked to stop, Mr Lusk; You are not above telling W'hat you believe to be untrue to get •out of a little trouble, are you? Accused: I don’t know what you . mean. Referring to a later part of Price’s evidence, Mr Lusk asked him when it was first suggested that Miss Madden should go over to the Hollis’s. Price said t she first suggested it when they sat 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 Miss Madden, you told him you were going to take her over to Hollis’s, Accused: No; I never said that. Mr Lusk: Do you say he is lying?

Accused: No; I would say lie is-.nail-ing a mistake. The Crown Prosecutor: Where her body was found is in no way the, direct course to Hollis’s. Accused: 1 don't know where the body was found. I don’t know whereabouts in the creek it was found. Mr Lusk; You could see Hollis’s from where you sat? —Yes. Did you watch Miss Madden go'?— No; 1 never looked. She went oil* down the hill. Did that take her in the direction of that creek where she was found? No; it took her in the direction of Hoi’iss’s. Mr Lusk: Do you wish the jury to believe that when she did not return in an hour you deliberately went oil in the car back to Napier? Accused; Yes; I thought she would follow on. Mr Lusk: From the time she left, you to the time you joined the. car, did she have ample time to get to Hollis’s? .Accused: She had ample time while I was lying there. You could walk it easily in twenty minutes. Mr. Lusk: When you had given her ample time, why didn’t you go round and collect her?—lt never entered my head. I came to the conclusion she must have stayed at Hollis’s. Mr. Lusk: You know Miss Madden never reached Hollis’s, don’t you? Accused: I couldn’t say. After further questioning Price said he was prepared to agree that Miss Madden never reached Hollis’s. Mr. Lusk: Then she must have died within the hour you were waiting. Accused: I couldn’t say. The Prosecutor: You can give mo no explanation of her death? Accused: No. Mr. Lusk: She was found in the water with her clothing disarranged, one stocking and shoe missing, and a bloodstained hat and cloak with bloodstains belonging to her, planted under ti tree on the side of the ridge. Do you think she could have fallen on a rock, smashed her head and done that to her dress and planted those things? Accused: I don’t know I’m sure. Mr. Lusk: Do you think it possible? Price: I couldn’t say. Mr, Lusk: Don’t you think the girl was criminally assaulted, to judge from the way her dress was disarranged? Accused: I couldn’t say. Mr. Lusk: We have it that the girl disappeared from your view. I put it to you she must have met her death within the hour. You know nothing about it?—No, I thought she was still alive. Mr. Lusk followed this by asking why Price, on his way back to the car, crossed the creek in a direction opposite to that in which he left. Price gave the explanation that he saw a ear in the distance and thought 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 Miss Madden? —No. 1 came to the conclusion she had either stayed at Hollis’s or gone on to Waipawa. Mr. Lusk: And you had the rest of her possessions and her trunk was at the railway station? —-So far as I knew. Mr. Lusk: And for nine days you made no inquiries as to what became I of her? —No. Regarding the bloodstains on the coat Price said that the suit was one he wore to the beach on Sunday, Fcb- * ruary 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 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 couldnft say. He said the body was found in the creek. Mr Lusk: You tell the jury you went

down that morning simply to got some water? —Yes. When the detectives arrived you admit you told them a lie. You told them you left the girl at Heretaunga street. Accused; I got a fright. What were you frightened of? —I don’t know. What had you to hide?—Well, her body had been found. Mr Lusk: If a man is honest he has nothing to fear in telling the truth. Accused: I told them near enough. I got a fright and didn’t know what to say. Questioned regarding the statement he made at the police station, Price declared he was not sober. He said he was stupid and did not know what he wms saying. His Honour: How much had you been drinking that day? Accused: I had three-quarters of a bottle of gin that morning at 10 o’clock and then a mouthful of methylated spirits. His Honour: No drink except gin that' day ? —No. The only other witness for the defence was Lena Watson Nelson, who said she knew Price as a kind-hearted man. She came forward voluntarily with this statement when she heard how serious the charge against Price was. The Court adjourned till to-morrow.