POLICE INQUIRIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22231, 4 October 1935, Page 14

POLICE INQUIRIES

ACTIVITIES OUTLINED MAREO INTERVIEWED SERIES OF QUESTIONS DAY OF THE ARREST REMARKS BY ACCUSED The evidence of three detectives who have been inquiring into the case brought the hearing to a close. The arrest of the accused was described by Detective-Sergeant A. B. Meiklejohn, who produced further statements made by Mareo. This evidence was corroborated, and in some instaiyces amplified, by Detective It. J. Hamilton and actingDetective J. B. McLean. The public continued to show keen interest in the case, and Mareo again kept writing in his exercise book as the hearing proceeded. Inquest Evidence Continuing his evidence from the previous day, Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn said he visited Mareo's house, 1 Tenterden Avenue, Balmoral, on Good Friday afternoon, April 19, with acting-Detective McLean. Accused was at hom-. Miss Brownlee was in the front room with him and Graham Mareo was in the house. Witness had a series of questions to ask accused, Miss Brownlee and Betty Mareo. He started to ask the accused these questions, and asked hir. if he had read the newspaper accou:.t of Betty's evidence at the opening of the inquest. Witness said it was a pity she said that. People were commenting, and his inquiries showed that Mrs. Mareo did not drink as much as was said. Mareo agreed. A little later Betty Mareo came into the front room, and was introduced by Mareo to McLean and witness. She kissed and hugged the licensed. After looking at the detectives Mareo said, "You will visit me at tho prison, Betty?" She said, "Of course, daddy." Purchase ol Tablets The accused spoke to Betty Mareo about the evidence she had given, and said, "Why di'l you say all that about poor ThelmaP" She said, "They told mo I had to, and I did it to protect you, dad." Mareo then commented that she should not have said so much. Witness proceeded taking evidence. Accused gave the answers and saw witness writing them down. He then carefully read oyer the questions and answers and said they were correct. Witness produced and read a copy bf these to the Court. In the course of his answers Mareo said his wife had no property and she w&s insured for about £3O. He got veronal tablets from three cLc mists before April 1 last. On the recommendation of a chemist he had been taking veronal tablets for about three weeks yrior to his wife'B death. Ho had on several occasions seen his wife sleep for several days without wakening owing to drink. He did not suspect that his wife might have taken drugs other than alcohol until Dr. Dreadon mentioned veronal to him. Sums of Money His wife took no drugs to make her sleep, but she drank alcohol. If he had ipaao a statement that a chemist had told him that his wife would sleep for four days after she had been given certain pills he retracted that. He had never bought any medicine from anybody to bring on his wife's miscarriage. He did not know if his wife objected to Miss Brownlee coming to their house. He did not remember advising Miss Stark to say that she was not in a fit state to make a statement to tho police when she did so, or advising her to be very careful what she said as it vas serious'. The amount his wife gavo him VYhen thoy married was £4OO. It was all gone, most of it spont on a car and alcohol. Tho .'3OO he got from a woman named Irene Stone, with whom ho had been sharing the same fiat in Sydney, was a paymc:.i, of a loan. Witness said ho subsequently continued his inquiries around chemist shops, and, on April 24, he went to' Miss Brownlee's room in Wynyard Street, City. There ho found accused, who came outside. Marco was told that witness had located a chemist's shop, which was named, where Mareo had obtained veronal tablets. Another Interview "I told him I would have to bring np his name at all the chemist shops in the city and suburbs, unless he disclosed where he had purchased veronal," said witness. "Ho said if that was tho case he would give tho details." Mareo told of two purchases at a shop in the city. Two shops were accounted for, but Mareo had previously led witness to believe there were purchases at throe shops. Witness saw accused at Miss Brownroom on April 30. Mareo said. .Oh, Mr. Meiklejohn, don't you think

ray wife could have taken veronal tablets in mistake for aspirins P" Witness said, "Mr. Mareo, the aspirins were on a shelf in the scullery, and you had the veronal tablets hidden in a suitcase on a shelf in the washhouse." Mareo made no reply. On May 20, witness found the remains of a burnt life insurance policy in a rubbish heap at. the back of tho house at 1 Tenterden Avenue. It was on the life of deceased. Witness said that on June 5 he went with Detective Hamilton to Miss Brownlee's room at Wynyard Street, where they found accused and Eleanor Brownlee. The accused said, "What do you think? Somebody rang up tho other day and wanted to know if I had been arrested." Witness said, "Did they speak to you, Mr. Mareo?" Ho said, "No, to Miss Brownlee." Witness asked accused if lie had ever given his wifo any veronal and he said, "Oh, no." A statement Mareo made was read over to him and signed as true in every detail. In the course of this statement Mareo said:—"As far as I know my wife had two or three sisters and ono brother. I have never met any of them. I do not know how many of them are living. My wife has suffered from her appendix. I first knew of this before we were married, because she used to take paraffin and she told me. My wife started to drink more than usual when we first went to Buckland's Beach. Impression of Symptoms "I saw that my wife appeared intoxicated on Friday morning, April 12, her symptoms being; the ones I usually saw in her after alcohol. I thought that my wife's condition was brought about by secret drinking in view of the fact that I had not, as far as I can remember, at this period supplied her with any liquor. "I cannot remember whether I saw my wife take alcohol during the fortnight prior to her death. 1 thought she appeared in a drunken sleep on Saturday morning, because her symptoms were those I usually associated with her having a drinking bout. By 'drinking bout symptoms' X mean that she appeared dull, heavy, and wanted to be left alone to sleep it off. The only liquid that my wife had on the Saturday evening was some milk. I do not remember who prepared the milk. It may have been anyone in the house, including myself. The sai volatile sent for on Saturday, April 13, per Graham, may have been suggested by Freda Stark or myself. I am not sure. Question ol Doctor "I think that it was on Sunday, April 14, that Freda Stark first suggested getting a- doctor. That is the only time that I remember it being suggested by her. I don't remember what my wife said after she was given the sal volatile on the Saturday evening. I do not remember if my wife had anything to eat or drink on the Sunday* April 14. It is probable that she did not have anything to eat on this date. I do not remember the last time I looked at my wife on Sunday night, and I do not remember what time I awoke or got up on Monday morning, April 15. "On tho Monday morning, when I woke up, she looked an unhealthy colour, and I got the wind up, and thought something had happened to her appendix, and I sent for a doctor. This would be between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. She appeared to be sleeping heavily, but it was her unusual colour that concerned me. This was the first time I had noticed this colour. From Saturday to Monday morning, whenever I saw my wife in bed, she just appeared to b« sleeping easily, and not in any pain. As far as I know during this time she did not suffer any pain. No Will Left "1 have never taken more than one veronal tablet at a time per day and some days 1 would not nave any. I had no other veronal tablets other than those kept in tha suitcase, except those which I handed to the police. I did not show Dr. Dreadon the tablets that I had in my personal possession, bccauso I did not think of them, owing to the necessity of getting tho ambulance as quickly as possible. "My wife did not leave any will, as she had nothing to leave. I was worried over my financial position after leaving a city theatre, and I am pretty heavily in debt through tho loss of musical concerts and The Duchess of Dantzic' production. "I have never on any occasion slapped my wife's face. It is quite possible that I was in Miss Brownlco's company oil the Friday, Saturday and Monday, as wo were writing a scenario. It may hare been at her address at Wynyard Street. My daughter Betty was not biased toward my wifo, and to all intents and purposes they got on quite amiably together. "What veronal tablets I did take I took in tho same manner as I take aspirin. This was only over a period for about three weeks or a month. 1 had never taken them previously and I have never taken them since." further Statement On June 7 Detective Hamilton and witness went to Waterloo Quadrant to complete questioning accused on the lines they had followed two days previously. He made a statement which Detective Hamilton wrote down and which accused signed as correct. In the courso of this, and referring to a Saturday night incident, Mareo said: "I did not have any conversation with Freda Stark and most emphatically did hot tell her that it was

all right now and that I had convinced my wife that I did not love Eleanor Brownleo over the Saturday night episode. It is utterly absurd. I did not hear my wife tolling Freda Stark that I had promised my wife that I would not bring Miss Brownlee to tlio house again." The statement went on to describe purchases of veronal. Ho added: "As fnr as I know no person knew I was taking veronal tablets or that 1 had them at tho house or in my possession." "On September 2, shortly after 2 p.m., Detective Hamilton and I went to Wynyard Street, said Detective-Ser-geant Meiklejohn. "Miss Brownlee opened the door. Wo asked for accused. He came forward and we went inside. I asked Miss Brownlee to leave for a couple of minutes, and sho left. The accused said, 'Have you heard anything ?' I said, 'Yes, we have. I have got something here I will read to yon.' 1 said, '1 havo a warrant here, charging you that on April 15, you did murder Thelma Clarice Mareo.' "He said, 'Really. On what evidence? This is ridiculous. What evidence have you got?' "Detective Hamilton gave tho accused the usual warning, and I searched him. When wo got in the room in the first place, I saw there was a small table sot for a meal for three. On my looking at it, he said, 'Graham has just been to lunch, and has gone to work.' On searching tho accused, he said, 'Can 1 ring up my solicitor, Mr. Aekins?' I said, 'Yes, certainly.' He said, 'Wo were just going to tho pictures.' On leaving, ho asked Miss Brownleo to get in touch with Mr. Aokins at once, and for her to come to seo him. Ho asked her to tell Graham when ho came homo. Accused was taken to tho police station and charged." Examination of Boom Detective 11. J. Hamilton said ho went to 1 Tenterden Avenue about 6 p.m. on April 15, when Graham Mareo was tho only one at home. Freda Stark arrived shortly after 7. Witness made an examination in deceased's bedroom but did not see any veronal. From what he heard, ho communicated with police headquarters, and Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn and Acting-Detective J. B. McLean arrived at the houso. After Mareo arrived, Graham told accused that witness was a detective. " Accused said ' I have had a double whisky and T have a bottle of brandy out in the car which will make me sleep to-night,' " said witness. "Mareo said, ' T feel like doing myself in.' I told him not to be silly." Witness said accused asked, " Do you think T am a murderer?" in an excited manner, when asked how hi 1 * wife came to have so much veronal. Witness continued to corroborate the evidence of Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn regarding discussions with Mareo. Witness said that while making his statement, accused mado various comments, ono of which was, "People will be saving T am a drug addict, do T look like one?" At tho part referring to his sitting in a chair beside his wife, Mareo said, " It looks bad, being with her all tho time, but I have nothing to fear." Mareo thanked the detectives for the way they had treated him during the interview. Accused made several comments such as, "The poor darling" and "The poor dear." Witness described finding a letter, which was signed "Eleanor Brownleo," beneath the house at Tenterden Avenue. The Last Witness Acting-Detective .T. B. McLean said ho was present when Mareo read over his statement, and he heard accused say, "Beading this thing through T would just as quick go cut and hang by my own hand." Mareo said, "Do you think they can do anything to me." Witness was alone with accused on April 19 and Mareo said. "How do you think the case will go?" Witness replied that he did not know as inquiries were merely being made. This completed the evidence. When the formal question was asked whether accused had anything to say, Mr. Aekins said Mareo had nothing to say.- The magistrate then committed accused to the Supreme Court for trial.