WANGANUI MURDER CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 June 1930, Page 5

WANGANUI MURDER CASE

MAGISTRATE'S COURT HEARING

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) WANGANUI, June G. Herbert Erode rick .Manley was ‘Larged at th<> Magistrate's ■ Court today, before Air J. 11. Salmon, S.AI., with the murder of Gladys Barrington. Cromarty on May 9th. The Court was crowded. Air N. R. Bain continued the case on behalf of the Crown and Mr B. C. Huggitt appear(. lor the accused. Norman Anuabell, civil engineer, said on Alay 141 h lie visited 6 Ridgewav Street and took ■ the measurements of tile house which was a two storey one. At the request of the police witness produced the plans of the house.

Edwin Richardson, chemist and photographer, said on Alay 10th, at the request of Detective AVailsh he accompanied the latter to the public hospital and photographed the head and body of the deceased who was in the morgue. Photographs were also taken of the inside of house No. Q Ridgeway Street. Dr J. I. Adams said in response to a message from the police he visited No. G Ridgeway Street, on the afternoon of Alay 9th and found the young woman lying dead on the kitchen floor. She was half clad lying in a pool of blood. Her left hand was gripping her throat, which had an incised wound. There was a trail of blood widely scattered from the position of the body in the kitchen along the passage and upstairs. unc] along the landing to deceased’s bedroom. The bed in tile room bad been disturbed. There were stains of blood on the sheets and pillows. Witness and police searched for the weapon but were unsuccessful. About 7 p.m. on the Friday evening witness examined accused who was in a depressed state, but was sober. Manley said be bad been suffering from nerves. Dr Adams continuing, stated the wound in th e neck was produced by a weapon other than, a razor on account of it being ragged. Was it a chef’s knife (then pro-

duced). , The Doctor said it was sharp enough to cause such a wound with force. It could not have been selfinflicted.

A. I). Nelson, medical superintendent of the hospital in company with Dr Adams made a post mortem and corroborated the previous witnesses evidence. Elizabeth Cromarty fmother of deceased) said she arrived in New Zealand on 23rcl July, 1929, accompanied by three other children, and two months ago witness rented ■No 6 Ridgeway Street. On January Btli. 1930, her daughter was engaged at Air Currie’s residence at Kaiwai where she met Manley and later became engaged to him. After being engaged for some time Manly left Currie’s and came to Wanganui and later went to Wellington in search of a chef’s position. On his way through, Manley stayed at witness's house. AVitness said she did not object to the engagement of her daughter, who later left Currie’s arid went to AVellington and obtained a position at the New Zealander Hotel, .a an ley left where lie was working and went to the New Zealander Hotel as chef. Her laughter came back to Wanganui on April 30th with a bad nervous breakdown. She did not have an engagement ring with her. While in Wellington, witness’s youngest son, Stanley, received a wire from Alanley and obtained a position at the New Zealander Hotel, and on the Tuesday prior to the tragedy Manly and witness’s sou returned to AVanganui unexpectedly. 'They intended to return to Wellington on Alay 10th. Witness did not notice anything unusual about Manley. Her daughter Gladys and Alanley appeared to be quite friendly. On the night before the murder, Alanley took Gladys to the pictures. \V it ness heard Alanley say it will be for the last time, and witness heard the reply—“ For th e last time, why?” Alanley replied: “It will be for the last time, girl.”

Mrs Cromarty continued: On the morning of the tragedy witness went into Manley's room. He was lying awake. About 9 o’clock Mrs Cromarty saw Manley look at his suitcases. He was handling knives. Manley and witness’s son Stanley returned to the house for lunch which was about 1,15. Gladys also had lunch there. After lunch Gladys went upstairs for a rest but before she went, she asked Mauley to go to the butchers which he did. Manley returned to the house a little after three. He said he had forgotten to go to the butchers but would go back again. He left the bouse again and returned with a purchase. Manley talked with witness in the kitchen for some minutes and then went upstairs to Orr's room which was above the kitchen. Seven minutes later, after Manley had gone upstairs, witness heard steps coming from th t > ' room she occupied alith Gladys. Witness heard a lighter step and then a heavier one, and then heard footsteps coming downstairs. The kitchen door flew open. Gladys was holding up her hands and fell on the floor. She was partly clad. At the same time witness heard the front door dlick. Witness screamed out while the other daughter, Dora, ran to the front- door. Questioned hv Mr Haggitt witness said Manley appeared fond of her daughter Gladys. If there had been any conversation upstairs between Gladys and Manley she would have heard it.