Woman Faints In Court Norgrove Sentenced To

NZ Truth, Issue 1173, 24 May 1928, Page 7

Woman Faints In Court Norgrove Sentenced To

Brutal Assault

Heard Quarrel

front bedroom m the corner of the room by the chest of drawers," said Dr. Leeper.

"She was fully dressed and her hat was on the floor beside her. The head was facing towards the right-hand side of the wall as one entered the room : and her feet were towards the door.

"The bed was made, but not disarranged. There was no sign of a struggle. "There were splashes of blood on the walls and on the curtains on the opposite side of the room to that where the body was.

"Both sets of false teeth were on the floor a foot from the dead woman's head. "The woman was dead and I am or the opinion that, she had been dead a couple of hours .' . ." Norgrove revealed evidence of emotion as Dr. -Leeper described the dead woman's terrible injuries. Lowering his head, he covered his face with his hands, remaining almost hidden from view for a few seconds; then, as though fighting for selfcontrol, he straightened up and seemed to make an effort to listen to the concluding details. Continuing, Dr. Leeper stated that there was a large bruise on the back "of the right hand. The right upper jaw was broken, as well as the bridge of the nose, and there was a facial wound extending from the right eyebrow to the left cheek, exposing the bone and stretching across the nose. The bridge of the nose was broken. There was also a large wound at the back of the right ear.

Further, there was a depressed fracture at the top of the skull and death had been caused by laceration of the brain.

1 In corroborating the evidence of Dr. Leeper, another medical witness, Dr. Donald W. Murray, who performed the post-mortem, revealed that parts of the skull had been driven into the brain.

From his. examination of the skull, he could say that four distinct blows had been struck; they were consistent with injuries that might have been caused by such a weapon as a flat-iron.

. "Mavis Firth!" Women m the public gallery craned forward to see the diminutive figure m mourning^ as she entered the. court.

More composed than she had appeared during the preliminary hearing. Mavis looked little more than the young girl she is.

Norgrove Beamed slightly less apathetio as the girl took her place m the witness-box; throughout her evidence his eyes seldom left her face.

Giving her address as Craigbank Avenue, New Lynn, Mavis Martha Firth explained that she was to have been married on March 7, but the ceremony had been postponed until the following day.

Before her marriage, she and her brother, David, had lived with their mother m Cardwell Street, New Lynn.

Mavis told of her early rising on the fatal morning of March 7 m order to prepare for her wedding.

Her mother was across the road, doIng some washing for a Mrs. Pirrit.

Mrs. Norgrove had intended to change her clothes at Mrs. Plrrit's for the wedding.

It was while Mavis and her brother, David, were having lunch about 11 o'clock that Norgrove came to the house.

His first words were to ask her where she intended living after her marriage. "I told him at Mrs. Dormer's m Craighank Avenue," said Mavis.

Norgrove (suddenly sitting erect, his face expressing anger) : "I never asked you that at all!"

After glancing m the- direction of Norgrove, Mavis related that he had then inquired about mother. She had told him that her mother was at Mrs. Pirrit's, "having a bath." Norgrove's next inquiry, said Mavis, was whether there would be a "turnout," to which she replied that a surprise party had been arranged. On learning that her mother intended going Norgrove .declared: "She is not going! I will teach your mother to deceive me!" "I told him my mother had to go to the registry office that afternoon or I could not get married, as I was under age," added Mavis. Norgrove had replied: "I am going with her to bring her straight home!" Mavis had then asked Norgrove to tell her mother to meet her at the Delta Theatre at 1 o'clock and he said he would do so. He then told her to "get to - — out of it!" Norgrove (from the dock): "That's a He!" "I left the house then and I did not see my mother alive again," added Mavis, with trembling lips. At this stage, Norgrove revealed evidence of distress, repeatedly running (his fingers through hie hair, the exprea-

sion m his eyes Indicating the strain under which he was laboring.

When Norgrove- entered the house, continued Mavis, her brother, David, ran outside.

As she left the house, Norgrove had said that he would wait until her mother came home.

He had been m the habit of spending week-ends at the house. On such occasions, Mavis would sleep m the front bedroom with her brother, while her mother and Norgrove would occupy the back bedroom. ■'

"He did not exactly object to my marriage with Firth," declared Mavis, "but he would not 'have him m mother's house.

"Just before Christmas he told Firth never to come inside the house again. They had a quarrel and a bit of a fight on the lawn ."

Norgrove turned slightly and apparently requested the warder standing immediately behind him to convey a message to his counsel.

A few moments later Lawyer Moody asked his honor's permls'sion for the prisoner to sit down. The request was granted.

Mavis, resuming her evidence, said it was proposed that she and Firth live m Cardwell Street after their marriage; Norgrove, however, objected so strongly that it was decided they should live elsewhere.

During the discussion, her mother had told Norgrove that — as she paid the rent of the house — she would have them there. if she wished.

His reply had been that he would "run a knife" through lier first, adding: "They will have to come over my dead body." This was on February 26.

Following this incident, Mavis said she had overheard Norgrove talking to her mother m the front bedroom on the Wednesday night. "They are not coming here, that's all about it," he had said.

For the first time during her evidence, Mavis displayed signs of distress when telling of the occasion on which Norgrove had come to the house

m an intoxicated condition, brutally assaulting her mother, then threatening her brother and herself. He had asked her mother when she was going back to town, to which Mrs. Norgrove had replied that she could not go back, because she had no money. Norgrove had immediately "punched" her mother m the face; When she fell to the floor, he had "pulled her up and punched her on the mouth, breaking her teeth." Mavis' brother, David, jumped through the window and ran* for help, while his sister locked herself m the front bedroom. It was because of the quarrel between Norgrove and her fiance, Firth, that Mavis had left home. She returned just before the tragedy. Some consideration was now shown when the flat-iron was exhibited for Mavis to identify. In the lower court, the fatal weapon had been placed suddenly on the rail of the witness-box — and had immediately resulted m the girl's collapse. Mavis was on the verge of tears as she looked hurriedly at the gruesome weapon that had slain her mother, but managed to maintain her self-control. Norgrove sat with his gaze directed towards the floor of the dock. Mavis was self-possessed when she faced Lawyer Moody for cross-examin-ation. Norgrove appeared to take, a little more interest m the proceedings. Counsel: Was it not your mother who forbade you to see Firth? — No. "Did you not write this to your grandmother at New Lynn?" Counsel handed the girl a letter. Then he read it to the court. It was dated December 15 and m it Mavis had written: "Thanks very much for the money. I was going to ask George Firth for some this week. . ''I have been going with him for six months and he Is going to buy me a ring for Christmas.

■ "You understand foow delighted I am to get your letter. Mum has forbidden my boy to come, to see me or even speak to me , . . ,

*<They are not worth it. I have cried myself to sleep every night."

Lawyer Moody: It was really your mother, then, who forbade Firth to come to the house? — Mother never said anything at all. Then how do you account for this letter? It was not Norgrove who forJbade it; it was your mother? — She 'never said anything to me.

Mavis stepped from the witness-box, pale, but composed, and Norgrove.'s glance followed her, though he gave no indication of his feelings.

David William Norgrove, a bright, healthy-looking boy, supported the evidence given by his sister. His age, he said, was 13.

He had often heard his mother and Norgrove quarrelling. Once, when he was m another room he heard the sound of a blow, followed by his mother falling to the floor.

Thick- set and apparently of nervous disposition, Francis William Postleweight, the next witness, explained that he had known Mrs. Norgrove and her late husband when they were living m Ward Street.

David had come round for him on one occasion because there was trouble m the house.

On that visit he had seen Mavis leaning out of the , front-bedroom window and heard sounds coming from the house, "as though somebody were getting a hiding."

"I looked through the window and saw Mrs. Norgrove Just rising from the floor. Norgrove was m the room and was trying to bash down the door and get into the room where Mavis was.

"I went round to the back of the house and entered through the back door.

"Norgrove came towards me," continued witness, "and he was chasing David and calling out: Twill kill you, you ■ !'

"I asked him what was the matter

|| (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) 11 11 There, m the courtroom^ with the grey shadows of evening already f J |1 prophetically closing his long day, Norgrove, the New Lynn murderer, if || came within the more ominous shadow of the gallows when, m an II II atmosphere of strained attention, the death sentence was passed. || || He whose defence of insanity had crumbled away like a pillar of If || dust; whose life was said to have been a sequence of impulsive acts; || j| whose earlier days were the embodiment of uncontrollable childhood — H || always the spoiled boy — not capable, it was said, of waiting for any- || || thing; pandered to and petted, even carried to school by his brother. . : || l| This was the man whose only vehicle of mortal expiation for his || 11 hideous, shuddering crime remained m the swift but sure death of the II II gallows. II II ■ . df

and he told me it was none of my business."

Crown Prosecutor: "Was anything more said by Norgrove then?"

Postleweight did not immediately reply, showing: signs of feeling faint. He was given a drink of water and for a few " minutes no questions w^re asked. Norgrove sat up, looking suddenly alert.

Crown Prosecutor: "You asked him ,what was the matter; did he give any explanation at all?" — No answer.

Was Mrs. Norgrove there at the time?— Yes, Norgrove said to me: "I will fix her yet!" Then he turned to Mrs. Norgro\*e and asked her was she not his woman. She hesitated very much and answered him m a halfhearted sort of way that she was. Lawyer Moody: You are not m the habit of taking fainting turns, are you? — No.

No, I thought not! You anticipated what question I was going to ask you —and you were trying to think where it came m. You knew I waS going: to ask you about having had your me; y. jogged and you tried to think hov> it ciime m. That is why you bluffed. You, thought you would put the bluff over that you were fainting? — I- did not come here to bluff!

You did not faint m the lower court? —No.

On that occasion it was only after you had gone outside, and had your memory refreshed, that you said Norgrove had declared: "I will fix her yet"? — It is m my evidence here today.

Never mind about your evidence today! That was why you. staged that bit of acting, is it not? You wanted time to think? That is when you started to think as to when you should bring m that expression, was it not? — Yes.

Crown Prosecutor: Did you tell the police that Norgrove had said that? — Yes.

Mrs. Frances May Pirrit, of Cardwell Street, identified the dress produced m court as the one Mrs. Norgrove had worn on the day .of the tragedy

Robert Georgfl Firth, husband' of Mavis, was entirely at ease m the wit-ness-box. Slim and fair- haired, with what are commonly known as "eldelevers," he told the court that "Norgrove wished to take to Mavis," but he would not allow it.

When witness and Norgrove came, to blows, he could not remember what

was said — only that lie had remarked to accused that he "could fight three like him."

Norgrove had "pulled out his teeth, walked off the verandah and rushed him."

Olive White, another resident of Cardwell Street, living next to the Norgrove. home, gave evidence that on the morning of the tragedy she was sitting m her sewing-room at the back of the house, her window belngf directly opposite the kitchen window of Mrs. Norgrove's place. She - saw the murdered woman enter the house by the back door.

Some time later witness' attention was attracted by the sound" of the kitchen window being raised next door. Looking across, she saw Mrs. Norgrove at the window. She was crying bitterly.

"It appeared to me," said witness, "as though she were trying to get one knee on the window-sill. Then she looked over and saw me . „ . and put her hand to her head. After hesitating for a moment, she then closed the window." Before the window was closed, witness heard Mrs. Norgrove say: "I will, I will!" and Norgrove shouted: "Then I will go, too!" Shortly afterwards witness heard what seemed to her to be a chair pushed across the rdom. This was followed by a cry and six muffled thuds — then silence. About a quarter of an hour later she saw Norgrove leave the house by the back way, walking off with his hands In his pockets. Lawyer Moody: You saw Norgrove and he could see you? — Yes. It was quite obvious there was a row going, on^Yea.

The dead woman's clothes had been pulled down neatly around her, as though they had been arranged after the tragedy, Constable Horam told the court. . He had found the flat-iron on the settee behind the door of the sittingroom. ; "Mr. Leslie, I want to give myself up!" Those were Norgrove's first words to Constable Leslie at the Ponsonby police station.'

When asked what crime he had com-

mitted, he replied

"I have murdered a woman!" There were bloodstains on his shirt and collar. ' '

Questioned by Lawyer Moody, witness said Norgrove was agitated when he entered the police station, but was perfectly sober and rational.

Counsel questioned the accuracy of Norgrove's alleged statement: "I have murdered a woman." The constable promptly felt m his hip-pocket for his notebook.

Lawyer Moody: "Oh, the little book!. Bring it out; I know you are/itching to do so. You had it out' m the lower court!" And even Norgrove smiled.

Counsel: . You said m the lower court that accused had stated he had killed a woman? Your story Is different now? — Well, it is the same thing.

"It is not; it is absolutely different!"

•• The Crown then produced Norgrove's statement to the police, m which he. said: "I struck her several times when she was on the floor. I do not know how many times I struck her, as I must have been mad. After I had struck Mrs. Norgrove down I left the house . . ."

On the conclusion of the case for the Crown, Lawyer Moody, for the defence, said the jury should have no difficulty m deciding that when Norgrove committed the crime he was insane.

David Norgrove, elder brother of the accused, was the first witness for the defence. 'Aa a boy, he said, his brother, Alan George, was always very violent when he lost his temper. His mental condition was that of depression and melancholia. "When they were young, witness frequently had to carry his brother to school, "because he was nervous and we could not get him to go voluntarily." Crown Prosecutor: How old was he when you say you had to carry him to school? — About eight. Always, from the first time he was taken to school, he used to fight and kick.

Do you suggest that he did this every morning? — I don't suggest it; t

can

prove it!

It happened the whole time he was going to school.

Do you suggest that every day for three years you had this performance? —Yes.

After his brother first had trouble with his heart, said witness, he resumed work about three years later at the Auckland ironworks. He remained there about 18 months and again strained his heart.

Crown Prosecutor: during* the past seven years he has been unable to get any light work? — So far as I know.

His brother, added witness, was A^ery fond of reading and would get through three or four books a week.

A frail-looking, elderly woman, palefaced and with a pathetic droop to her shoulders, gave her name as Margaret Norgrove, mother of the accused.

Her son, she said, had experienced a nervous breakdown at school and would' sit up ih bed at night, gasping for breath. Dr. Moir had told her he was suffering from nervous indigestion.

Her son had always had a very bad temper; he would "cry and scream and be sulky." , In recent years he had been very depressed and worried.

In reply to counsel, witness said she had a nephew and niece under treatment for mental trouble.

Crown prosecutor Meredith's crossexamination was interrupted by a dramatic outburst from the man m the 'dock. Rising m his .chair, Norgrove cried: "You leave my mother alone!" He -waa. restrained by a warder.