No Evidence on Mareo's Behalf

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 47, 26 February 1936, Page 5

No Evidence on Mareo's Behalf

Per Press Association.

AUCKLAND, Last Night,

Proceedings moved more rapidly in tho Mareo trial to-day when police witnesses were disposed of sooner than expected, thus paving tho way for the commencement of counsels addresses. Tho Court was again crowded. Mareo at various stages smilingly chatted with the leading counsel for the defence, Mr H. O’Leary.

Tho cross-examination of Detective Sergt. Meiklejohn was concluded in half an hour and the re-examination two minutes later.

Tho foreman of tho jury asked: “When Mareo said ‘Do you think I am a murderer/ what was the exact conversation?”

The Judge replying, read a page of tho evidence referring to the conversation in the course of which Meiklejohn asked Mareo how his wife came to have so much veronal. It was then that Mareo replied “Do you think I am a murderer.” When the detectives called at Miss Brownlee’s room they read the warrant for arrest. Mareo said “This is ridiculous.” He asked if he could telephone his solicitor, Mr Aekins.

Roplying to Mr Jolmstonc, witness said the size of tho room was 9ft. by 8 feet. When being taken to the watchhouse accused asked if Miss Brownlee could come and see him. Ho also asked witness to tell his son Graham.

Mr O’Beary: What height arc you in your stockings?

Witness: Six feet and half an inch,

Counsel: When did you decide to arrest Mareo?—September 2nd was the day he was arrested. Counsel: I suppose some of these questions put to him were directed to be put by medical men?—By my officers.

Counsel: But you know they came from medical men.—Some might have. Counsel: Laying the foundation for medical evidence.—They may have been.

Counsel: When you asked as to what commonsenso she had spoken on the Saturday night, that would be what medical men wanted to know.—Yes.

Detective Hamilton corroborated the evidence given by Meiklejohn that when witness was alone in the front room with Mareo the night of' his wife’s death the accused said “I’ve had a double whisky and I’ve a bottle of brandy in the car to make me sleep. To-night, I feel like doing myself in.” Witness told accused not to bo silly. When he mentioned his wife’s drinking Mareo said. “I feel like a cad saying all this about the poor dear, but I’ve got to protect myself.” Cross-examined by Mr. Aekins, Detective Ha Alton said that when the police first went to Tenterdcn avenue, they had no search warrant, but Mareo gave full permission to search the whole house. During the making of the statements accused used “poor darling” and “poor dear” often in refolding to' his wife.

The last witness, Detective McLean, corroborated much of the evidence of Detectives Meiklejohn anjl Hamilton. Mr. O’Leary informed his Honour that he desired to address the jury after the final address by the Crown.

Mr. T ohustone then commenced his final address. He said that all the counsel would wish to thank the jury for their careful attention throughout tho hearing, and there was no doubt l-ie same care and attention would be paid to the end. Caso for the Crown Mr Johnstone said that even from Marco’s own statements he had said that she took no drugs. Nor were any drugs found 'in her belongings. “You may be certain that they would have been brought into this Court if they had/’ said counsel. “What has the evidence to say of tho accused? He is a musician and a married man, but if you accept our submissions, lie was a married man only in name. He had no marital relations. Quarrels at his home were not iufroqueut. Betty could not get on with Mrs Mareo and an association grew up between Miss Brownlee and Mareo. She paid one quarter’s fees of £-1 4s to him, but after that she ceased paying anything. She played his accompaniments at rehearsals, not very high-class music fur a woman of her ability. She was typiste for him and his secretary. Sho was his pianist when he conducted au orchestra. She attended to his financial affairs, prepared his scenarios, worked at iveek-ends, cleaned up his house and laundered his clothes. She even supplied him with a car and drove Marco drunk and sober. What do we find as soon as Mrs Mareo died? She installed herself there, remaining until the Mareos themselves left. He used her room in AVynyard street. AVas not his wife now an incumbrance to Mareo? At the end of March, 1935, he found himself out of employment. He had no money; ho was addicted to drink, and was taking veronal every day, according to his ow r n statement. He had spent all his wife’s money and she had nothing more.”

Mr Johnstdne said Mrs Mareo was looking to the future. She was making winter clothing. She did not leave any note suggesting suicide, neither was there any evidence showing suicidal intent; neither was there any evidence that she had veronal. Mr Johnstone went on to review in detail the illness of Mrs Mareo, and the medical evidence that she died of veronal poisoning. The question then, was who gave this veronal?

It was the Crown’s submission that it was given to her intentionally byaccused who, counsel said, had acquired a large stock of veronal. Accused had ample opportunity to give it,

Crown Case Finished; Counsel Address Jury

Mr Johnstone reviewed at length the evidence regarding the milk prepared for Mrs Mareo, stqtiug that Mareo had means of adding veronal to the milk and also tho opportunity of doing so. The Crown submitted that accused had given deceased doses of veronal on both nights. Mareo’s attitudo during his wife’s illness was commented on by Mr Johnstone. Mareo's explanation was that he thought she was drunk, but at no time during her three days’ illness was there any smell of liquor about her. Mareo did not know the cause of the illness with any precision, and he should have got a doctor. “The dictates of common humanity should have told him to have doue something more than this,” said counsel. Denials by Defence Following Mr Johnstone’s address, no evidence was called for the defence and Mr O’Leary proceeded to address the jury on behalf of accused. Mr O’Leary paid tribute to the fairnoss wherewith the prosecution had been conducted. Referring to accused’s relations with Eleanor Brown lee, he said any suggestion of impropriety had been entirely dissipated. Tho Crown alleged that Mareo had murdered his wife to replace her by Miss Brownlee, but it was not proved there was anything wrong in the relationship. Mr O’Leary submitted that veronal was not a murderer’s weapon. When it had caused death it had been a case of either misadventure or suicide.

The defence agreed that Mrs Mareo died from veronal poisoning, but repudiated the sugggestion that the drug had been administered by accused for the purpose of bringing about his wife's death. It was possibly a cast of suicide, but the greatest possibility was death from misadventure.

Referring to the suggestion that deceased was a lesbian, counsel said it seemed that when Mareo was sober he thought relations between his wife ana Freda Stark were all right, but when in liquor he was more outspoken in his opinions. As a further answer to the allegation of murder, Mr O'Leary said Mareo’s wife was an asset to him. He had planned to take over a company wherein she was the leading lady and as late as April II he and Miss Brownlee were discussing this and another project wherein deceased was lo be the leadifig lady in a film adapted from the book, "Flume of the Arawas.” Yet the jury was asked to believe that he was then murdering the woman who would be a necessity to him. Miss Brownlee was not useful on the stage, but deceased was essential to Mareo’s plans. Referring to accused’s veronal purchases, counsel pointed out that he freely mentioned them to Dr. Dreadou and the police. Had he committed murder he would have got rid of the remainder of the drug. Accused’s warning to Freda Stark to be careful what she said was accounted for by the fact that ho had obtained medicine and pills from a chemist for his wife’s irregularity, and he though this might have caused death. Ho was afraid to get a doctor because of this purchase of medicine. Marco actually overstated his purchases of veroual. Mareo’s surprise when he found that the tablets in the bottle had gone was emphasised by counsel. As to de ceased’s alleged lesbian practices, this matter was merely meutioned * by accused to the police little thinking it was going to' be used as evidence. Counsel suggested it was wholly brought to light through police questions to accused.

Mr O'Leary had not finished whe the Court adjourned till to-morrow.