FIRST WITNESSES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22346, 18 February 1936, Page 13

FIRST WITNESSES

DAUGHTER'S EVIDENCE RELATIONS WITH DECEASED HOME LIFE DESCRIBED QUESTIONS ABOUT LIQUOR The first witness called by the Crown was Claude Montague Francis, police photographer, who produced a number of photographs he had taken at No. 1 Tenterden Avenue. He was followed by Reginald W. H. "Riddle, draftsman, in the employ of the Public Works Department, who produced plans of the Tenterden Avenue house. Then Elizabeth Patricia Mareo was called. She gave her age as 21, and said fche left England for Australia toward the end of 1931. Her mother died in England in 1928. The accused, whom she referred to as "daddy," became an orchestral leader in Sydney. The first she knew of her father's marriage was when he wrote and told her. Her father was in Wellington and she had remained in Sydney. He requested her to come to Auckland, but she waited until her brother Graham had finished his school term. When they arrived here they were met by "daddy and Mrs. Mareo" and went to stay at Buckland's Beach. Afterwards they moved to Tenterden Avenue. Witness Leaves Home Witness said she was not getting on very well with Mrs. Mareo at this time, and about a fortnight or three weeks before Mrs. Marco's death witness went to stay at Epsom. Witness visited Tenterden Avenue on the Friday before Mrs. Mareo's death. She had tea there with "daddy" and Graham. Mareo said that Mrs. Mareo was not very well. Witness passed the room where Mrs. Mareo was lying. Witness prepared to leave about 7.15 and Mareo gave her a letter, which he had written while she was there. As he handed her the note about 10 minutes before she left, accused asked witness not to open it until she heard he was dead. The note contained information in relation to her parentage. Accused at tho time seemed to be very worried, but he gave the usual "good-bye." Witness knew nothing about Mrs. Mareo's condition during the weekend, but Graham rang up and told her on the Monday afternoon that Mrs. Mareo was in hospital. Mr. Hubble: Had you known anything about her condition prior to her death? . , Witness: She had always complained about her appendix. . Would she see a doctor during the attacks ? —No. Labels on Bottles

Miss Eleanor Brownlee, witness said, was a frequent visitor to the house in Tenterden Avenue until a certain incident occurred while she was not 1 Mr." Hubble: Who were at Tenterden Avenue that Saturday night?— Graham, daddy and Eleanor. Where was Mareo ? —He was m bed. You were not present, I take it, at any argument that night? -No. The following week-end, said witness, was Good Friday. There were present two detectives, Graham and daddy. Eleanor came afterwards. "I took oft two labels from bottles and threw them awav or burned them," she said. One bottle was like a small aspirin bottle, which, I think, was labelled barbitone. The other bottle was like an ordinary medicine bottle, with a red label, which I took off the same as the other. I threw both bottles out. Mr. Hubble: Why did you do this? —I took the labels off because I thought the chemist might get into trouble. In answer to Mr. O'Leary, witness said she lived four months with the Mareos Mr. O'Leary: Did Mareo treat you and Graham kindly and considerately? Yes. When did you become 21?— May of last year. This letter was given to you in April last?—On the 12th of April. Mr. O'Leary: A month before you came of age.

Witness said the information in the letter had been ascertained to be correct. Mr. O'Leary: I suppose 3 r ou are better pleased to known the truth of your parentage than otherwise ?—I don't really know. 1 don't think so. Witness said that in April she had been away for three weeks. Mr. O'Leary: You were drifting away from your father? —I don't think so. You would have come back again?— Yes. Ynu did not get on with Mrs. Mareo? —No. Why is that so, Miss Mareo?—l have been in a convent all my life and haven't mixed much with theatrical people and perhaps didn't understand them. Do you remember Mrs. Mareo being in bed for about three weeks on end iu Jauuarv or early in February?— Yes. What reason did you attribute it to? —I thought it was through drinking. Witness said Mrs. Mareo would not hear of having a doctor. Mr. O'Leary: Did you suggest a doctor? —Yes, everybody did. Did the accused? —Yes, Daddy did, What was her attitude toward doctors? —She seemed to have a dead set against them. Witness said that during the tune Mrs. Marco was in bed, Miss Stark would come and visit them, but generally her care was left to Mareo, Graham and herself. Mr. O'Leary: I put it to you that when she got up she objected to you keeping house? —Yes. Preparation of Film

Do you remember Mareo being engaged in the preparation of a film. — Yes. What was it?—" The Plume of the Arawas." Your father was working on the scenario? —Yes. Did you during the time you lived in the house see Mrs. Mareo show any signs of liquor or take it? —Yes. More than once? —Yes.

Did. you discuss with Freda Stark, Daddy and Thelma drinking ?—Yes. What do you think they were drinking?—l can tell you the colour. That will be all right. Some of the jury might know. Well, what was the colour? —Some had no colour at all. Is that what gin is like? Were vou commissioned to get some brandy by Mrs. Mareo?—Yes, but as Daddy was trying to get her to give it up, I didn't think it fair to get it. On one occasion Daddy was seeing guests off the premises and Freda was taking drink into Thelma, witness said. Mr. O'Leary: Did you become friendly with Miss Brownlee? —Yes. Did she help you in the house? —Yes. She was very good to us. Did she attend to Thelma?—Yes. She did it for all of us. " Seemed to be Dopey Did you ever see any signs of affection between Mareo afed this woman?— Heavens, no. How did they address each other?— As Eleanor and Eric. How did Thelma usually address Mareo? —As "His Nibs." What did Mrs. Mareo take for her complaint?— Aspirin and paraffin oil. Witness said she left the house on the Friday and passed Thelma in the corridor, hut they did not speak. I had seen her like that before," witness added. Mr. O'Leary: How did she appear?— She seemed to be dopey. Had you ever seen her like that before ?—Yes. Did you ever hear Thelma's horror of becoming in a certain condition discussed in the presence of Freda Stark? —Yes. And you had heard Thelma say that rather than that she would jump off the bridge?— Yes. This concluded the cross-examination nf Mice Alflrnn nnrl of fTiie cfnrro

And you had heard Thelma say that rather than that she would jump off the bridge?— Yes. This concluded the cross-examination of Miss Mareo and at this stage the Court adjourned until ten o'clock this morning.