MURDER CHARGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24874, 21 April 1944, Page 6

MURDER CHARGE

FATE OF WOMAN HUSBAND IN COURT COMMITTED FOR TRIAL The preliminary hearing of a case in which Thomas Philip Haworth, aged -12, a foreman chrome tanner, was charged with the murder oi his wife, Patricia Florence Haworth, aged 28, at 28 Luke Road, Otahuhu, on March 16, was taken before Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M.. yesterday. The police case was conducted by the Crown Prosecutor, Mr. \ . [{. Meredith, and accused was represented by Mr. Terry. Mr. Luxford also sat as coroner for the inquest, which was taken concurrently with the liearing. Sixteen witnesses were called by the prosecution, and the exhibits included a hammer, blood-stained clothing and a series of photographs. Evidence that accused had worked at Lee and Arlington's tannery at Otahuhu for 18 years was given by Stephen Christopher Arlington, an employee of the firm. On March 16, apart from the fact that he was a bit white in the face, accused seemed to be normal. He seemed less upset than lie had been all that week. Accused did not notify the office that he was going to leave work, but at 9.55 a.m. witness saw him riding his bicycle away from the works, toward Luke Road. A hammer produced was identified by witness as one belonging to tlie firm and used by accused in bis work. Neighbour Hears Screaming Accused's uext door neighbour, Mrs. Ethel May Massev, said that accused was a very quiet and reserved mail. Up ! to March 16, witness had not heard any | quarrels from his house. That morning she spoke to Mrs. Haworth in the backyard at about 9.50, but did not see anyone else in the place. A little later while she was in her kitchen witness heard Haworth's front door slam and heavy footsteps going quickly through the bouse. She then heard Mrs. Haworth and accused in their bedroom. Haworth 1 said in a loud voicfK "If you do not love me any more it is all up." Noises came from tlje bedroom and Mrs. Haworth was hoard screaming for help. Witness told a neighbour what she thought was happening. "I went back to the house and everything was quiet in Haworth's house," said Mrs. Massev. "I heard a door slam again, and Haworth left the house and ! rode his bicycle to Otahuhu. He was not I in bis working clothes. Ho looked \ery ' haggard and pale." Discovery of Woman ! Witness went to accused's house, and i on looking through the bedroom wini dow she saw Mrs. Haworth lying on j the floor. Her face was covered with ! blood, and she was still breathing. A j neighbour notified the police. 1 Mrs. Florence Lawrence, who JiAd j been friendly with Mrs. Haworth and accused for about two years, said that accused came to her house at _ about 10.15 a.m. on March 16 and said Pat (his wife) was gone. He asked witness to get his boy Philip and take him to Haworth's mother. "I asked him if Pat had gone to I the hospital, but he said, 'No, she's | just gone,' " said witness. "He then [ ran to the gate and got on his bicycle. ! Constable I. A. Murray, who broke j into accused's house, said Mrs. j Haworth's head was badly battered. She was breathing, but was unconI scious. The hammer, with blood stains, I was lying on the floor near her. There were "indications of a struggle in the room. Mrs. Haworth was taken to the Auckland Hospital, but died before she could be removed from the ambulance. Accused Visits Hotel A hairdresser of Otahuhu, Arthur Curtis Anderson, said accused called at his shop at 10.30 a.m. on March 16 lor a shave and hair trim. It took about minutes, and in that time accused did not speak. Evidence that accused used tocome to his hotel between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. each Saturday was given by Charles Claude Nicholson, licensee of the. star Hotel, Otahuhu. Some time between 10.15 'a.m. and 10.10 a.m. on March 16 witness saw accused in the bar and •I said. "Hullo, Tommy, haying a day off? Not feeling too good?" "He beckoned to me And said something dreadful had happened, something that had never happened in his family before," said witness. "He told me 1 was the only one lie could trust, and then he said' he had killed his wife. He was in a very nervous state And spoke gushingly. We went outside, where he showed mo his bicycle And sftid ho wanted me to see that his boy got it. "He told me he had killed his wife with a hammer, and said, 'She was no good; she was rotten to the core, continued witness. "He did not say any more that I can remember. Thinking that he had gone off his head and that I would calm him down, 1 told him to come in and have a brandy. 1 did not have any brandy in the bar, but gave him a shandv. I asked him what he thought I should do, and he said he would leave it to me." Witness went to accused's house and returned to the hotel with Detective McLean. Accused was still sitting in the bar. Evidence of American An American serviceman said that on February 2/, when he was stationed at Pnhinuii he met Mr. and Mrs. Haworth while he was visiting friends at Papatoetoe. On the following day be visited accused's house at about 1 p.m. or 1.30 p.m. Mrs, Haworth was there, but her husband was not. Witness did not know if accused knew he was going to the house. Witness stayed until about 3 p.m. or 3.30 n.m. He went there again on another afternoon. "Mrs. Haworth and I had become quite attached to each other and I planned to come hack to her after the war." said witness. "On a Saturday night (March 11) Haworth was told how we felt about each other. That was on the Saturday before the Thursday (March 16) on which she was killed. "I was there on the Friday (March 10) and remained. until the Sunday morning," said witness. "On the Friday night I told Haworth I was quite fond of Pat and she was fond of me. lie said he knew that. On the Saturday morning Haworth went to work

and I stayed at the hous o . In tha afternoon Haworth and I went to Hotel and had some drinks, m re- j turned for tea at Haworth s house. That night 1 told him about my air an ge reients." Mr. Meredith: What was your position? Were you single or married.' Witness: i was married, but 1 was going to got a divorce. She was going to ret a divorce from Tom. He said He would give her a divorce, but not before 1 got mine. ' . , The discussion on the Saturday night about the plans of witness and Mrs. Haworth started at aboinfc 8. JO p.m. and lasted until about 5.130 a.m. on Sunday, continued 1 here was some beer there and they had some drinks. Witness did not drink alter the discussion started. He lay on the couch and slept until 8.30 a.m. I "1 did not see Mrs. Haworth before T left the house." said witness. "I was by the fence when the two of them came out. She did not wan<t me to leave. 1. did leave, but she tried to stop mo. 1 told her to go back inside and < try to coo! off and forget about it all | for a while. She fainted twice at the | gate and she then came mnnjsng down the road after me. Haworth took her home and 1 went back to camp. Other Visits Made "I left camp on the Wednesday morning and went to Haworth's house, i said witness. "It was about 12.30 p.m. j and Mrs. Haworth was there. 1 stayed j until about 3.30 p.m. Haworth was! not there. That evening, by arrange- i ment, I saw her along the town at j about 6.45 p.m. and took her home at approximately 11.30 p.m. 1 did not go in. but left iter at the corner of the house." , , Cross-examined by Mr. ferry, witness said that when he went to Haworth's place on the Thursday at the start of his three days' leave* he left the house about 4 p.m., before Haworth came home. He re tunned about 8.10 p.m. with some bottles of beer, some of which was drunk by the three of them. At about 8.50 p.m. Mrs. Haworth suggested that she and witj ness should go to the pictures. Haworth j remained at home minding the boy. ; Witness and Mrs. Haworth returned at about 11.30 p.m. Mr. Terry: Actually, you did not got to the pictures that night, did you? Witness: 'No. We were planning to| go. but one of us had seen it. We just? walked around, that is all. Origin o! Discussion Mr. Terrv: On the Saturday night, what started the discussion on the mutual feelings between yon and Mrs. Haworth ? —Mrs. Haworth made a very direct and definite statement on the matter. , And you followed by saving, That is correct, I am in love with her"? That is right. Did Haworth ask what the future of the bov was to be?— Yes. If 1 am not mistaken Mrs. Haworth said that he could have the boy as long as he treated him right. Witness admitted that she said something to the effect that nothing mattered but "Ossie." Witness also stated j that the reason he was divorcing his wife was that she did not look after their child. He was able to get a divorce while he was here in the Army. To the best of his knowledge his divorce was to come up about July. Thirteen Wounds Dr. W. Gilmour, pathologist at the Auckland Hospital, said there were 13 wounds on Mrs. Haworth's head. They could have been caused by the hammer produced in Court. "When Haworth and I were waiting in the hotel yard for a conveyance i asked him what went wrong," said Detective J. B. McLean. "He replied, 'A Yank.' At the police station Detec-tive-Sergeant Aplin cautioned Haworth and told him we were making inquiries about his wife being injured. Mr. Aplin later told him that he was going to be charged and that his wife was dead. Accused was sitting in a chair. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and said. 'Thank God.' " An account of statements which he said were made by accused was given by Detective-Sergeant F. X. Aplin. "It is that Yank," accused was alleged to bate stated. "He is the cause of it. He stayed at my place. I got to know him about a fortnight # ago one Sunday morning at a friend's* place. She was there. He asked her if she minded if lie came down on the Monday. When [ got home from work he was there. He stayed until 8.30. He and stayed at our place last Friday. He stayed until Sunday. After he went she told me that he had taken her. "t'ou know what that means. This week she has been out every night, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. She would not tell me where she had been. It lias been playing on my mind ever since he stayed at my place. I went to work this morning. I have a hazy recollection of getting the hammer, of going home and seeing her and bitting her." Witness said accused was sober at the time and appeared to be rational, This closed the police case and accused was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court. HOSPITAL INTERESTS FOUR NORTHERN BOARDS (O.C.t VTHANGAREI, Thursday A conference of representatives of the Mangomii, Whangaroa, Bay of Islands and Hokianga Hospital Boards will be held at Rangiahua on Saturday to decide on a common policy to put before the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. H. No rd in everwhen he meets the various hoards in North Auckland. Proposals for amalgamation of the four boards and the provision of all medical services in the districts covered will be discussed at the conference. A full medical service operated by the hospital board is already operating in Hokianga. REHABILITATION WORK PROPOSED CIVIC LEAGUE Unanimous support, to the proposal by Mr. 1). V. Bryant, of Hamilton, for tiie formation ofa Rehabilitation Civic League was given in a resolution passed at a meeting of delegates of the Second X.Z.E.E. Association in Auckland last night. After Mr. Bryant had addressed the meeting, the president of the association, Mr. E. L. Thwnites, said that a link'was badly needed between the Rehabilitation Department on the one hand and the returned men on the other. If the movement did nothing else except provide it, much would have been achieved. The public was not apathetic, but was frustrated, through lack of organisation. This would be remedied by the proposed league.