MURDER TRIAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 142, 15 May 1930, Page 8

MURDER TRIAL

HEARING AT AUCKLAND. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, May 14. . The trial of Arthur Thomas Munn on the charge of murdering his wife at Northcote on Friday 14 was continued this afternoon. “I next saw Mrs Munn on Friday February 7,” said Mrs Brown, continuing her evidence after the luncheon adjournment. ‘‘She looked worse than when I. saw her before. She said that she could not get up as she Itad not tho use of her legs. Her eyes were half closed and she seemed to bo jumping and twitching as she had been before. Tears were running down her cheeks and she seemed, to be crying. Eire was very nervous and was annoyed when I walked about the room. She said that sho could not stand any noise.” Witness said that she heard Mrs Munn ask Mr Munn about the state of the linoleum in the house and accused replied: ‘‘You can damn well scrub the boards when that is worn out.” Mr Northcroft: When you met Munn on the wharf on Wednesday he told you his wife was ill, and you immediately went for him and told him he was to blame ? ... Witness: Not exactly blaming him. I told him he should not have kept her up reading to him.” Mr Northcroft: So in reasoning witli him you upbraided him for his wife’s illness? Witness: I didn’t blame him. Mr Northcroft: When he said re did not want any damn women about was it his ordinary way of talking? Witness: Yes. Mr Northcroft: And you did not take it he was speaking in a harsh way of deceased? 'Witness: No. Mr Northcroft: Did you take it seriously when he said: ‘‘You can damn well scrub the boards,” or was it just a joke? Witness: I took it that it was a joke. Mrs Beatrice Knight Lidiard, another neighbour, said that Mrs Munn was quite well before tho illness. Witness did not seo Mrs Munn till tho last day of her illness. On the morning Mrs Munn died Munn was going for the doctor when witness arrived at the house shortly aften ten o’clock. He said that he aid not like the look of Mrs Munn, and asked witness to stav until he returned. When witness looked in the room Mrs Munn was apparently dead. Cross-examined witness said that she saw the doctor arrive about lo minutes after Munn had returned. On tho morning she became ill Mrs Munn did not mention that her husband gave her anything to drink which tasted bitter. Witne.ss and the Munns had been neighbours for about seven years. During the last two years she saw a good deal of them, uropping in at odd times. She never saw any signs of unhappiness or quarrelling. On one occasion she went with them to a United Party picnic at Motuihi. Munn was actively connected with the United Party. Mr Northcroft: On the day of Mrs Munn’s death did you go to the house again ? Witness: Ye 3. in the afternoon. Mr Northcroft: What was Munn’s attitude then ? Witness: Munn broke down. Witness at .this stage broke into tears and liad to sit down. The balance of the evidence was of a formal nature. The court adjourned until to-mor-row, when the first witness will be Dr. Dudding.

TO-DAY’S PROCEEDINGS. MEDICAL EVIDENCE HEARD. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, May 15. The trial of Arthur Thomas Munn on the charge of murdering his wife was continued at the Supreme Court to-day. At the request of counsel for the defence Mrs Lydia Gill, who fainted yesterday, was recalled. She said that Mrs Munn did not tell lier she Jiad drunk anything bitter or that Munn had given her anything bitter. Medical men who are to be callefl as witnesses closely followed the evidence of Dr. Dudding, who attended Mrs Munn. He said tliatl he was first informed on February 4 that the woman had had a seizure. On arrival at the house Munn said that his wife had started trembling. Witness thought that the woman might be going to have a stroke owing to her high blood pressure. After prescribing for her, he left. On his next visit on February 6 the patient seemed comfortable and happy. He, did not think her Reriously ill. He visited her again on February 8 and 10 (Monday). On Tuesday he received a message that his patient had had a very bad turn. He found her played out and presently she had a convulsive attack, lasting four minutes. He had never seen or heard of 1 any such condition before. He said nothing to Munn of his suspicions. Later he was called and was surprised to find the woman dead. From the condition of the body he concluded that she had had another convulsion and had died in it. Dr. Dudding. said that he was then almost sure that the woman had died of strychnine. On a table at the bedside was a cup containing liquid and a fluffy brown deposit such as was often seen in salts when allowed to stand. Mr Northcroft protested that this was new evidence. Witness said that he had mentioned it to the police. The rest of witness’s evidence concerning the steps he took to test the fluid found in 'the cup followed the lines of his lower Court testimony.