Eric Mareo on Trial For Life

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 43, 21 February 1936, Page 7

Eric Mareo on Trial For Life

Incidents at House Detailed by Witnesses Evidence at Fourth Day's Hearing Per Press Association.

AUCKLAND, Last Night. , The trial of Eric Marco, a musician, I who is charged with having murdered I his wife, Thelma Clarice Marco, in April last, entered upon its fourth day in the Supremo Court this morning before Mr Justice Fair. 'l’ho cross-examination of Freda Stark by Mr H. F. O’Leary, K.C. (for llio defence) was concluded ten minutes after the Court resumed this morning. The court was again crowded. Witness denied taking anything like giu to Mrs Marco, as stated by Betty Marco. She also denied having told Betty about Mrs Mareo’s drinking habits at Bucklaud’s Beaeh, and said she had never told her that Marco never drank until he met Thelma. Replying to Mr A. H. Johnstone, K.C. (for the Crown) witness said she had had a photograph of herself taken in the nudo uy a well-known Auckland photographer in the presence of his wife to send to London for exhibition purposes. She gavo Thelma one. She left the Dixeland party with Thelma early because the latter was disgusted with Mareo’s behaviour. When they went to bed everybody in the house knew about it. Marco often remained in bed on Sundays. It was a custom of theirs. With the Judge's permission Mr Johnstone asked: Did you ever give veronal to Mrs Marco? Witness replied in the negative. Work on a Scenario. Eleanor Jeanie Brownlee was next called. She said she had known Marco for about a year, having become a pianist in “The Duchess of Danzig” orchestra, and later a member of an orchestra conducted by him at the St. James Theatre. She also became his secretary, assisting with tho work of a film scenario. She "went to Mareo’s house mostly to work on the film, but her visits ceased seven or eight weeks before Mrs Mareo’s death as a result of a Saturday night incident after she went home in a taxi with Marco, who was under the influence of liquor. She had gone out to stop the night at the accused’s invitation. Freda Stark came into the sitting-room about the same time as witness, who was making up a bod. Witness hoard a noise in the passage, and on going out saw 1 Freda Stark and Mrs Mareo, the accused being in tho bathroom. Thelma went into the bathroom, and it seemed as if she was calling for help. Witness said she knocked at the bathroom door and then went in, as Marco was calling out. Thelma had her face in her hands. Mareo was dressed in his shirt and underpants, while Mrs Mareo was fully clothed and wearing a hat. Freda Stark was in the front of tho house. Thelma seemed to think someone was hurting her. Later, Mrs Mareo and Miss Stark left the house, the former returning next day, shortly before witness left. A Note of Apology. As a result of Mareo telling her that Thelma was being theatrical about the whole matter and thought an apology should be made, witness wrote a note of apology. She continued to work on the scenario, but did not visit the house again until the day of Mrs Mareo’s death. “I saw Mareo on the Thursday before Mrs Mareo’s death,” said witness. 1 ‘That was at my room in a W'ynyard street. I had left my parents’ home in September, 1934. On the Friday I saw him again at my room. On Saturday evening I went to his place in my car and met him outside the house. We went for a drive, and later I dropped him in Balmoral road. On the Sunday! morning I was out with him again,’ ’ I Witness said she had arranged to meet Mareo on the Monday morning in l Balmoral road but he did not come. Graham came and witness went to the house. Marco said his wife seemed ill and he wanted to get a doctor. Witness touched her forehead as she slept and it seemed quite normal. Her colour was normal. Marco said she had been taking pills. Attempts were made to get a doctor but none would be available until 1.30 p.m. Witness did not make further effort becauso Thelma did not look ill. She left the house about 1.30 p.m. and the next she heard was a telephone call from Marco asking her to meet him in the hospital grounds. He told witness of his wife’s death and said the doctor had stated that death was caused by veronal. Interviewed by Police, Witness said she drove Marco to .'various places in the city and afterwards to Tentcrdeu avenue. The police were there and witness was interviewed. Early next morning Mareo and his son Graham arrived at her room. For the remainder of that week, witness stopped at Tentcrdeu avenue with Mareo and his son and daughter. Then Mareo and Graham moved to a room in the city. The three had meals together and she and Mareo did work on the scenario. To Mr V. N. Hubble (for the Crown) witness said she did not know anything about Mareo taking veronal. Cross-examined by Mr O’Leary, witness said Mareo meant nothing to her from a relationship point of view. She was a university graduate and a Master of Arts and needed three more subjects to complete Bachelor of Music degree. She went to Marco to study orchestration. The iirst time she washed Mareo’s whito ties and vests was at Airs Mareo’s request. The latter said that when she starched things' “they stood up by themselves.” (Laughter.) Mareo intended to make his wife the leading lady in the film. After the latter’s death, witness continued, she had often heard that Thelma Mareo suffered from her appendix and used to take paraffin oil for it. i 1 Re-examined by Air Hubble, witness said her relationships with Airs Alareo were never really friendly. NeiglibQui’s Evidence. Tho iwarti witness, Airs Rebecca Tonight, a next-door neighbour of the

Alareo’s, said she often saw Airs Alareo, who often used witness’s telephone. She had never seen any sign of Jiquor on her. Once she heard Mrs Alareo call and from a window witness saw her fall in a faint. She had heard her complain of her appendix. Tho luncheon adjournment was then taken. I fie second medical witness, Dr. John Dreadon, was called immediately tho Court resumed this afternoon, nosaid he received a telephone call to Marco's house about 2.30 p.m. on April 13 last. Witness said he was met on arrival at the house at 2.30 p.m. by accused, who said his wife had taken some medicine three days previously because of irregularity. He asked witness if he thought Airs Alareo was m a certain condition. ‘‘l went into the bedroom and saw Mrs Alareo in bed,” said Dr. Dreadon. ‘‘She was deeply unconscious and seemed to be very desperately ill. I made a quick examination. Her pulse was weak, and my opinion at the time was that she was practically dying. I asked accused if he knew what she had taken. He said ho did not know and produced two tablets from his coat pocket, stating ho thought she had taken some tablets corresponding to those.” Mr Johnstone: ‘‘Did you form any opinion there and then as to what she was suffering from? I was suspicious that she had had an overdose of veronal. Witness said ho had previous experience of veronal poisoning. In such a condition as she was in he concluded she had had a very large dose. “I asked Alareo if he knew whether she was in the habit of taking dope,” continued the doctor. “Alareo said no. I asked Alareo if there was any veronal ’in the house. He said he had some in the houso and occasionally took a tablet for insomnia. I asked him if he could show mo the bottle ho kept the veronal in and in a few moments he returned with an empty veronal bottle. He expressed surprise that it was empty. Witness said when he told Alareo that he thought his wife had had veronal, he made no comment. Witness ordered Airs Alareo immediately to tho hospital. Air O’Leary (for the defence): Alareo had no hesitation in saying yes when you asked if he had any veronal? Not the slightest. Did he appear genuinely surprised when he found the bottle empty? I thought it was genuine surprise. Have you seen many eases of veronal poisoning? Yes, I have seen one particularly bad one. The predominating cases of veronal poisoning are cither suicide or misadventure? Yes. You concluded Airs Alareo had had a very large dose? Yes. You know, of course, that a com--1 parativcly small dose will kill one person, whereas another person may recover from a very lai;ge dose? That is so. And you thought Airs Alareo had had a very large dose? Yes. Dr. R. D. Keenan said that in April of last year he was resident medical officer at tho Auckland Hospital. Mrs Alareo was admitted at 3.1}5 p.m. When he saw her she was deeply unconscious and in an advanced state of collapse. Her face was blue. She I made no response to the general stiniuI lativc treatment and died at 5.30 p.m. ' the same day. Her condition was 1 quite consistent with veronal poisoning. Witness saw accused five minutes after his wife’s admission. He said he had last seen his wife well on Friday night and that she had been sleeping on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. Alareo, when asked why his wife had had no medical advice, said she had a fear of pregnancy. He added that she had obtained medicine from a chemist. In reply to a question, Alareo said he kept veronal tablets in a bottle in the washhouse. He also said he had gone to look for the bottle on Friday night and had found it empty. Alareo said he took some himself, as he suffered from insomnia and that he got in an extra supply on account of the restrictions that were being placed on the sale of veronal. The question of bloodtransfusion was discussed and Alareo agreed to go to the laboratory to have a blood test preparatory to transfusion. While he was there his wife died. Air Johnstone: Did he say anything about his home life? —Yes; he said they had been very happy. Witness was present at the post mortem examination but took no part in it. There was no evidence of alcoholism. Dr. Keenan told. Air O’Leary that he did not think it unusual that Alareo should have impressed on him that lie and his wife had been happy. He had no hesitation in saying that he had some veronal. The restrictions on the sale of veronal had come into operation on April 1. Before that it could be bought easily from any chemist. Air O’Leary: Dr. Dreadon told us that Alareo said he found an empty bottle on the Alouday, but you say he told you of finding the bottle empty on the Friday night? —Yes; that is true. You were referring to his wife’s illness on the Friday night?—Yes. _ Don’t you think there is a possibility of a mistake on your part when you say Alareo told you he found tne bottle empty on the Friday night and not on Alonday? No; I don't think so. It struck me as curious that he should have said to me that he'found the empty bottle on the Friday, in view of the fact that Dr. Dreadon had told me it was Aloudayj .The two statements, were ia.co.fi-