MURDER CHARGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23487, 26 October 1939, Page 14

MURDER CHARGE

CLAVERLEY MYSTERY PATIENCE ON TRIAL WIFE'S DISAPPEARANCE EVIDENCE OF CAMP MATES [BY XELEGnATO —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday The Crown caso against Arthur John Patience, aged 48, labourer, charged with tho murder of his wife, Harriet Jane Patience, at Claverlov on October 4, 1938, was continued before Mr. Justice Northcroft in tho Supremo Court to-day. Mr. A. T. Donnelly is conducting the case for the Crown, Mr. Alan Brown being with him. Mr. It. A. Young, with' him Mr. T. A. Grcsson, appears for Patience. i Daphne Gladys Spencer, of Christ-1 church, said sins used to livo with her husband at the Claverley camp. On the night of October 5, 1935, Patience came to her house and said he was going to Christchurch on Friday to see if Mrs. Patience was there. Ho seemed very concerned about her. A Visit to Blenheim Albert Arthur Fletcher, labouror, who worked at Claverley, said that on October 4 Patience came to witness' hut, leaving, as near as he could saj', at 8 p.m. Next morning, at Suicide Point, Patience told witness his wife was missing and that she had left a note saying she was sick of camp life. Patience said she might have gone to Wellington or Christchurch. After tho next week-end Patience said ho had twico called at Mrs. George's house while in town, added witness. Mrs. George had been out, so he had left notes asking if she had seen Mrs. Patience. Patience had offered him a loan of his car, saying "they" were going to Blenheim in Mrs. Chapman's car, giving tho impression that Mrs. Patience was also going. On his return Patience said he and Sirs. Chapman had booked in at a Blenheim hotel as man and wife. Trail of Blood David William Mackay said that on the morning of October 6 ho walked to work with Patience and he noticed "a blood trail" from the Claverley camp gate to the Happy Valley gate. When witness drew Patience's attention to it ho said: "It may have been a dog." Mackay thought it was on October 7 that he saw Patience go back from tho place where thej' were boiling a billy to tho place where there were bloodstains and wipe something with his boot. Hughio John Clark, another labourer who liad worked with Patience, said accused had considered it unfair that a letter for his wife was sent back to Mrs. George after Mrs. Patience had disappeared. He tohl Patience there were some ugly rumours going about tho camp. Patience just grinned. Bloodstains ho and Mackay had soon with Patience extended about 200 yards. Clark said he had told Patience the public had "got him hung." Evidence of a Widow Mrs. Clarice Rita Chapman, widow, of Christchurch, said her husband was killed in an accident in July, 1935. She was first intimate with Patience in 1937. She had got on well with her husband. More than once she had discussed her relations with Patience, suggesting a separation from his wife. On October 7 Patience told her his wife was gone, and they discussed it, but she could not suggest any course of action. Patience stayed at Mrs. Chapman's mother's place. Accused went to see a lawyer on October 21, but did not see him. Next day Patience drove witness in her car to Blenheim, where they hooked in at Barry's Hotel as Mr. a'nd Mrs. Patterson. Patience was called to the police station and witness herself later made a statement. Later they booked in at the Criterion Hotel under their own names in separate rooms. Next day they went to Tophouse. On November 5 she was visited by Patience. When staying in Nelson they had booked in twice at the same hotel as man and wife. In October she received clothing and teaspoons from Patience, which she handed to the police. She had promised to go away with Patience, but decided not to go as she had a child to consider. If Patience had been divorced she would probably havo married him. To Mr. Gresson, Mrs. Chapman said Patience had suggested going to tho police, but she had suggested a lawyer. Police Investigations Senior-Sergeant J. Bickcrdike said ho began investigations on October 20, 1938, into the disappearance of Mrs. Patience. Ho went to Blenheim and there saw accused outside Barry's Hotel and told him that he was investigating his wife's disappearance. He asked Patience if he could give any information which would lead to the discovery of his wife. Patience told him it was not his wife with him at the hotel, but another woman. Witness then said to Patience: "Don't you think it rather early to bo staying here with another woman as man as wife so soon after your wife's disappearance? " Patience, after hesitating, agreed that it was. Continuing, witness said Patience agreed to go to the police station and there made a statement. On November 23 he saw accused at the Posy Morn Camp and asked him if ho had heard anything of his wife. He said lie had not. On April 21, in company with Constable Smith, witness again interviewed Patience at the camp at Posy Morn. There he took another statement from accused. He said that the morning after his wife's disappearance her bed was made. His wife had given him no reason to believe that she had any intention of clearing out. She was an honest woman and although he missed £4B after she had gone, he was not prepared to say she took it. Arrest of Accused Patience told witness there was some conversation between himself and Mrs. Chapman about divorce after the death of her husband, but he told her it was too soon to speak about that. He wanted to get things fixed up with j\lrs. Chapman, but did not know how to do it. That was before his wife disappeared. He realised that he did not treat his wife properlv. but ho did no injury to her. On July 21, 3939, Patience was shown the body of a woman which had been found at Taratuhi. He said it was not the body of his wife. On July 24, 1939, witness told Patience that an inquest was to be held at the Christchurch Hospital next day on the body found at Taratuhi. He told Patience that relatives had identified the body as that of his wife. Accused replied that he was working and he did not think he would bother about attending the inquest. Oil August 3, in company with Detective-Sergeant ITorron, witness arrested Patience at Posy Morn. After the reading of the warrant, .Patience said: "1 didn't." Since the disappearance of Mrs. Patience every avenue through which it was thought evidence of her whereabouts might be discovered had been explored.