MUNN'S LETTERS FROM DEATH CELL "BUCK UP!"

NZ Truth, Issue 1286, 31 July 1930, Page 1

MUNN'S LETTERS FROM DEATH CELL

"BUCK UP!"

Tells of His Thoughts, Gaol Life and Innocence In Dramatic Letters To Mrs. Stuck

"MV EXIT"

"I'M FED UP"

"CAN DO THE DEEIIAS SOON AS THEY LIKE"

Written m his peculiar style of handwriting, these letters, 23 m all, represent one of the most moving and dramatic human documents it is possible to imagine. They commence almost immediately . after his conviction, and they end the day after he received news that the Executive Council had declined to interfere with the death penalty.

NOT once does his courage falter. At first, when he relates how he refused to allow an appeal to be made, there is, perhaps, a hint almost of despair, but this quickly disappears, and m a few days he tells how he has given the necessary permission for the lodging of an appeal. He does not hold out much hope for its success, and this he makes clear m more than one letter. He expects it to fail, and although, at times, his thoughts have been buoyed up with the hope that it will succeed, its rejection does not come as a blow to him. Reading these letters, we can see that he had expected, and had .prepared for, just this happening. He has more faith m his petition to the Executive Council for a reprieve, although. at the outset he apparently pinned little faith even to this. Still, as time drags on and ho -.decision .is. given, his spirits become jiribre buoyant, and he admits that his opinion is changing and that he is beginning to agree with' those who prophecy that his sentence will be commuted.

Always, however, he is stressing his innocence, and planning how he can prove that the jury's verdict was incorrect. He discusses the evidence against him at length m several letters, and he declares that, m the event of his sentence being commuted, he will concentrate upon proving that he was not guilty of the gravest of all crimes. "The principal thing is to clear my name if I make my exit, which is quite possible, though some think otherwise," he writes on July 3; "If, on the other hand, the sentence is commuted, then there is the big task of collecting enough evidence to secure a re-trial, and it is for that purpose only that I have asked for a reprieve.'' Death holds no fears for him. Again and again he makes that clear. He does not fear it, or flinch from it; but he wants to live m order that he can ultimately prove his innocence, and if he has to die, he wants to die knowing that his friends will go on trying to gather the evidence that he feels sure can be secured — evidence that will vindicate' his name and show that he was wrongly condemned. This is the keynote of all his letters, even those that deal with his life m the condemned cell and with the trivial details of his daily routine. He seems to have whiled away those long and dreary hours during the weeks he waited for his fate to be determined, m writing, reading, talking and smoking, with games of draughts and dominoes m between times. The majority of the letters are written on ordinary sheets of ruled foolscap, but there are a few — the first two and the final three— that are written on ordinary ruled letter-pad sheets.

with a blue line slantwise across the left-hand top corner of each page. The handwriting of the bulk of the letters does not vary. In one or two letters it seems, > perhaps, a shade thicker and a trifle more scrawly than usual, but the letters continue right through to be well formed, and there is never a hint of shakiness. Munn wrote a peculiar hand, and the impression one gets from the letters is that he was a fast writer whose pen could barely keep Dace • with his thoughts. Throughout there is a suggestion of haste and speed. His spelling at times is faulty and m one letter he declares that he is "a damnable spelleV." All the letters bear the initials of the gaol censor, and on the inside flap of most of the envelopes Munn's name has been scrawled m pencil by a

warder. This doubtless is the regular gaol practice, and is for the information of the censor, so that the latter may know from which prisoner the letter comes. By an ironical jest of Fate, the envelopes containing these letters, written from the condemned cell of Mount Eden, one and all bear the post-marked legend, "Telephone banishes ' loneliness!" What would Munn ,ha,ve : given for a telephone ! b;;TheT7flrst Tlett'er,, dated : from- 'Mount Eden on May 2.8, immediately after the trial, runs: "Dear Teenie, — I must write you to thank' you first for all your kindness to me. I am very sorry to have caused you so much trouble. The result of the trial, was a shock to me— that you well know. ' "I need not tell you that I am innocent of the crime, and I know - you believe that. If no one else believes that, I know you do. "It is hard , to undei-stand how 12 men could believe the evidence that the Crown presented. There is no one who knows more of what took place iri my house that week than myself, but you see, Teenie, I am the accused person; therefore, not believed." Munn then goes on to traverse some of the evidence given at the trial, dealin g ■ particularly with the evidence of Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Gill. Practically half of the two - page letter is devoted t o this discussion, and then his rare courage and calmness,, illustrated m a hundred different ways at the trial and during his subsequent incarceration m the condemned cell, breaks through m a characteristic passage. "Now, I have nothing tp worry about," he ends this first letter. "I am not afraid to die, and as I have just taken a parson they can do the deed as soon as they like — the sooner the better. I know I am innocent and have had it put across me bad. "Please do not try to see me, because I think it best otherwise. Shall be pleased to hear from you and again I say do not worry about me. Others will soon forget that I ever existed, and it is best so." This letter, which is signed, "Yours as ever, Arthur," has a postscript s v crawled sideways across the paper at

the top of the first sheet. "There is one thing you can do," Munn writes m this; "that is send me a tin of tobacco. Kind regards to all, and thank for her kindness. A.T.M." Near to this, and immediately under the address heading "Mt. Eden," is the following note m pencil, presumably written by the gaol official who censored Munn's letters: "Do not send anything m to Munns, as everything will be supplied from here." The initials signed to this look like "G.E.S. ' This letter was posted at Upper Symonds Street at" .4 p.m. on May 28, and two days later Munn's second letter was posted. It reads: "Dear Teenie, — I need not say that I was very pleased to receive youi" letter to-day. Your expressions of faith m me are pleasing to read, and I am truly grateful for confidence.

What are a man's feelings when he lies ih tlie 'condemned cell, convicted of murder and sentenced to death, waiting for | the Executive Council to determine his fate? y 'Ji^ , § Does the uncertainty play on his nerves? ,\ Does he fear -the dishonorable death which he is expecting? How does he j while away the time, and when at last the. news' wVglMiybroken to him that he must expiate his crime, what are his feelings | and his thoughts? "y^-'MP-y-' l I How many people m New Zealand have askedjlpjlaselves these questions during Uie last few days? Arthur Thomas J Munn, found guilty by an Auckland jury of . tbe[!j^|^p|]ijg > of his wife, was executed at Mt. Eden on Tuesday morning, after | having spent a long period m the condemned ceU-^^iie his fate was m the: balance. . | In a remarkable series of moving and dramitit&Jeiiers, written to Mrs. Stuck during his incarceration and printed be- i low, Munn tells of his daily gaol life, of mV^cdmiple^riinnocence of the crime of which he was convicted, and of his thoughts j as he stood within the shadow of the gallows. . r;.|fto-,; ' I Rarely if ever has a more poignant or more^dranmtic series of documents been published. ]

"It may/-sjssjj^^ Mr. '-Northcroft" was~ here to-day, and asked me to allow them to put m an appeal, and I refused. If there was a chance to appeal against the evidence of Mrs. B. and G. and Doyle, that would be a different matter. "No, Teenie, I have had a bad | run, but will take the count like a man should. "It is not that I would not like to see you, as you know, but I could not stand up to it, and I know you could not, so it is best for both of us that you should not come. . . . "You know the picture which hung behind door from kitchen to diningroom. If you want that I should be very pleased for you to have it. No one else will want it. I will, give you a note to , and you could go round or send and get it; also anything else you wish to have. "I am , avoiding seeing the poor children for the same reason as I do not wish you to call here. There was a suggestion of calling them m trial, but I would not hear of it. "Many thanks again for your kindness to me. And shall be pleased to hear from you again. Never fear but I will face death with a clear conscience and stout heart. Your old friend, Arthur." This letter only occupies a sheet and a-half of the note-paper, the last half being taken up with a memo addressed to a third person, authorising him to let Mrs. Stuck have t the picture referred to m his letter together -with any other such articles she might request. The third letter, which is dated June 3 and commences m the same way as the two earlier letters, reads: "I am expecting a letter from you to-morrow, but as there is some news for you I drop you these few lines today. "I told you m my last that there was to be no appeal by me. Weil, several have urged me to change my mind on this matter, and yesterday •Mr. and Captain Holmes (S.A.) persuaded me to allow an appeal. I am given to understand that friends outside wish the same, so there it is, they can go on with it. "No one seems certain, but there are several grounds on which to appeal and, if successful, one of several things may be done. "Personally, I am so disgusted with the way the case has been misrepresented that I am fed up with it, and would sooner let them finish the job and done with it. As I have often said,, Teenie, one only has to die once, and I will do that with a clear conscience. "I am not having a bad time at all. Plenty to eat' and good food, too, plenty of smokes and company all tho time. "I think I should mention the 'big thing you did for me day by day during the long trial. I know that it was some work, of course, and was very thankful and pleased, and it helped me very much to stand up to that trial. — Your old friend, Arthur." In his fourth letter, written on June 8, Munn acknowledges receipt of two letters, and, having discussed a few personal and trivial matters, proceeds: "Well, as I told you m my last letter, I have put m an appeal, so there is hope yet; but I do not build much on. that." The rest of the letter is confined to a discussion of the evidence £iven at his trial, on much the same lines and couched m much the same strain as his first letter. "Well, there is the end of my paper," it abruptly ends, "so must say good-bye for this time." At the head of this letter is a postscript, reading: "Don't think I am down-hearted. I am not worrying aboux my fate, but would very much like to refute tho' lies that have b©en told and

placed me m this position. — A. T. '•. ■■■■ M."^y;:',yb-.;, •■ ,- - ; -•-- ■,- ■ r ■■>.-.... In his fifth letter, written on June 11, Munn tells something of his gaol life. "Trust you will not worry about me," he says. "I am just waiting for the end, and the waiting would be very miserable indeed if it were not for the company I have always with me. The S.A. Captain is here pretty often. He is a bit puzzled over me and has given talking religion to me of late, but he is good company. "I wrote to my son and asked him to come up and see me and he came J yesterday. — Yours, Arthur Munn." j Munn's sixth letter is purely a personal one, dealing with his family, and it ends with a note m which hope and despair are mingled. "Well, I am still keeping up," he writes, "and a little hope for the best, as you say; but do not think of that side." The letter was dated June 13. "In a matter of six days we ought to know what is coming of the appeal," writes Munn, m his seventh letter, dated June 38. Mr. Northcrof tis going to Wellington for the case on my behalf. "You ask what I do to occupy my

time. Well, play draughts, dominoes and read, also have a companion to talk to all the time; three different ones each day, and plenty of smokes. "Teenie, I know you are wondering how I look and if I hold up under this strain. Well, was here on Monday and he said I was looking well and fit, and that is correct. "Yesterday there were three of us playing dominoes, and if you had heard the laughing you would have thought we were a lot of kids. "The one thing that I do worry about is the lies that have been told so sue-! cessfully against me. "Will write again when I get some news from solicitors.- — Your friend, Arthur Munn." Right through Munn's letters, there is but a faint note of hope m connection with his appeal. Very "obviously he had not much faith m it, and m his eighth letter, written on June 20, he shows quite clearly that he expects the appeal tb fail. "It is only four days to the appeal now," he says, "and I think you are going to get a bigger disappointment over it than I am. "You are very good m trying to cheer" me up. Your letters have made me feel very comfortable under very trying circumstances, and have often read them over for fresh thought. : "At the same time I always feel that you are worrying very much over my position, .and I cannot blame you for that, because you know me and 'belie \?e what I say. At the same time

you feel it hard because you cannot do anything for me. "Teenie, we must meet life -as it comes. No one knows better than myself the dirt that has been put across me, and I would meet death without fear. "I have seen my solicitors, and they are now working m another mjatter from which I expect more than from the appeal. The rest of this letter, which is signed, '.'Cheerio for this time, Arthur T. Munn," deals with the efforts, being made on his 'behalf, and with certain aspects of the evidence given at his trial — a theme oft repeated m his letters. "It is only seven m the morning now," Munn writes m his ninth letter, written on June 25, "and I may get a letter from you to-day. Perhaps you are waiting to hear the result of the appeal. I have got someone working outside now, Tefenie, and if that person . is any good a great deal more could be done that way than I expect from the appeal. "It is seventeen weeks this week that 1 have been here, and that is enough to settle any man with a crime on his mind, but everyone who has spoken to me says that I do hot look or act like a guilty man. " is visiting me twice a week. He will be here- again to-day, and was up on Monday. "Time, like this paper, is short, so bye-bye for the present. — Yours truly, Arthur M. "P.S. — Teenie, I know I owe you at least 35/-, and will make it right with something before I am through."

Written m a different ink, Munn's tenth letter, dated. June 30, has an even greater suggestion of haste and jerkiness about it than his earlier letters. "I have not had the final yet from the inquiries re the evidence, but will surely get it to-day," he says, after mentioning that he has not had a letter for some time. "I do not hope to avoid death, but am going to make a very, determined effort to prove that I am innocent, even though the ( truth comes after I am gone. . . ' . "... I must say that I am not down-hearted, and can take this knock same as others I have had. — Yours, Arthur T. Munn." "Mr. has been m with the report of the inquiry agent," he writes m his eleventh letter, dated June 30. "He has found some important things; also opened the way for still further inquiries. "Well, Teenie, Mr. has persuaded me to apply to the Governor-Gen-eral for a re-trial or reprieve m order that we may continue the inquiry, and hope to get to the truth some time. "As they point . out, if I am gone what is the use of the truth. There is something m that. So we will still bore on and, as some have said to hie, 'while there is life there is hope.' . . . Yours truly, Arthur Munn." In his next two letters, written on July 3 and July 7 respectively, Munn does not write a great deal of interest. Both are confined more or less to a discussion of the best way to obtain

I the evidence which he deems necessary to prove his innocence. j "The principal thing is to clear my name if I make my exit, which is quite possible, though some think otherwise," he says m the first of these letters. "If, on the other hand, the sentence is commuted, then there is the big task of collecting enough evidence to . secure a re-trial, and it is for that purpose only that I have asked for a reprieve. "As you say, some of my friends are doing what they can m this direction, but it will require more than an amateur effort to secure the truth. . . ." And m the second letter: "The most important point is to get the necessary evidence to prove my innocence. No one can tell me that this oannot be done. No one but myself knows how false the evidence is against me. „ . . If I am to die, I want, to know that there is someone left who will not take the line of least resistance and let the matter drop. I have no one but friends to depend on for this. . . . Mrr is one of the most confident believers m my innocence, and he will tell anyone that m his opinion the medical evidence of post-mortem was proved wrong by Doctors Gunson and McKenzie." In his fourteenth letter, dated July 8, Munn writes:; y "It is one -third of a year to-day since I came here. ■•'.. ...,,_," _ : "This .is a. s .ra.ther.;fean^du^ me, Teenie, waiting day by day "for word from .Wellington as the result of my petition. .No doubt you are waiting, for the same before writing me. — Yours as eyer, Arthur Munn." The following day Munn wrote another letter. „ ,

"No doubt people will worry you," he says m this, "but you have nothing to worry about. You have a clear conscience, and you have no doubts about my innocence, so why let people's opinions get on your nerves? "My advice to you, Teenie, is to get work that will occupy your mind, and you will soon get over this affair. "I do not expect a re-trial from Cabinet. Mr. • and others pointed out that while I was alive I can always claim a re-trial, and that a life sentence is always reviewed by the Prison Board after five years. At that review every-

thing relating to the case will be j considered, and I will be the only person there, "Now, buck up, Teenie, and help me to 'meet that Board who have it m their power to right the wrong thatj has been done. . .'. I "The stay is well under way; will not get word from W. Cabinet for some days now. — Yours ever, Arthur T. Munn." Written two days later, Munn's sixteenth letter sounds a more hopeful note. Once again he discusses at some length the steps to be taken to prove his innocence, and what he hopes himself to do m this direction. And then he says:

FIFTY-SIX DAYS IN CONDEMNED CELL

MUNN TELLS MRS. STUCK HE HOLDS THE RECORD FOR BRITISH EMPIRE

"THE END WILL COME IN A FEW DAYS"

"AM quite. aH/ right, and find that I * v have, fallen m with the opinion expressed here . that the sentence will be commuted. .. . I hold the record for residence m the condemned cell, and am not worrying about it.-—, | Yours as ever, Arthur T. Munn." Much longer than .his previous letters is that dated July 15, the seventeenth of the series. It occupies two full pages and runs: "It is eight weeks to-day I have been m the condemned cell, and you have cheered me much with many letters, but you have worried me at times by. long silences. Am still waiting to know just what you propose to do. I told you, or gave you an idea of what I wished, and am still waiting anxiously to hear your opinion. Seems to me that you doubt my chance to prove my innocence. "Well, Teenie, though I gave up almost every chance when . first sentenced, I am now fully confident Ithat it will be done, even if I have to do it myself when I leave this plaoe. "I am having photos -taken of the room and lino, though Mr. says there are plenty of witnesses. He agrees to the photos, and I shall remind him again to-day. "IF " "Teenie, you spoke m one of your letters of the case being mysterious to you, and I don't wonder. To me there Ib , only one point of which I am not perfectly clear — that is, was the wife's continual high blood pressure the result . of a series of small doses of strychnine, or was it just blood pressure? "If Dr. Gunson knows anything at all, then it is the latter. You will remember that •he said that the continual high pressure could no.t be paused .by strychnine, as the poison kvould cause a rapid rise m blood pressure, and as rapid a fall to below normal.. r "On the other hand, he was sure that had she been examined on the Monday 'before the 4th, she would have been found to have blood pressure then, and, m his opinion, the convulsion of the 4th was due to blood pressure. "True, he said 'that the symptoms were compatible with poison, but his opinion was that blood pressure was the cause of the illness from Tuesday to Tuesday. "He is the blood expert of Auckland and Dr. McKenzie is another who is head and shoulders above the other doctors, and he confirms Dr. .Gunson's opinion. T . "No\<, I. have used all my paper m this and will ask for an extra piece to continue this letter. "Yes, the paper has been handed to me, so I continue. "If I become an ordinary inmate here, my limit will be five letters a month. At present there is no limit and I am treated, well and have many privileges. In fact, the only thing that I have asked for that has not been granted is a pack of cards. "To continue about the doctors, there is really no conflict amongst all of them. The post-mortem revealed poison. That is certain. No one.questions that, but it cannot, prove or disprove Drs. Gunsen and MicKenzie, as no evidence of blood pressure, would be revealed at the post mortem. Both Mr. and Nbrthcroft are of this opinion. Unfortunately the judge missed the fact. "Now, that is enough about the case, Teenie, your very welcome letter has just arrived ... "Well, I ani doing all right. The only improvement would be more regular letters from you . . . Yours as (ever, Arthur Munn." Dealing , mainly with generalities, Munn's next letter, dated on July* 17.

makes but a brief reference to the subject of his position. "There is no hews through yet," he writes. "They tell me the longer it is delayed the better chance I have got. Perhaps you do not know that the matter was before the council before Sir Joseph died . . ." I "This may be the last letter I shall write you from the condemned cell, so it is to be a long >ne," declares Munn, Jn his letter, The nineteenth, written three days ater. It covers two pages of Foolscap, and the writing seems nore jagged and scrawly than is the case with the earlier letters. 'If the death sentence is removed ay council, I most likely will be removed by Tuesday, and then I /vill only be able to write 5 letters a month. 'Perhaps the tone of writing to you es not cheer you any, but I have ked myself a dozen times since I ye known that my future is to be cided Monday, would I be pleased if 3 sentence was commuted. 'Believe me, it is only m the thought it you and a few others 'are working V and believing m, me that I desire ything other than death. That is c line of least resistance, and the c of least resistance is always ong. So I should be thinking of oving my innocence and yours at c same time. ' . . . Tea has just come m, so will .ye you for the* present." A.t this stage Munn evidently broke : his letter to have tea, and he remes again with the remark that it an hour since he had tea. 'Have liad company," he goes on, > did not write. I have reason to beve that ■ will do his best for > at any time ... " "If I give heed to what I am told here pr the discussions we have on my •ffalra, Twould be expecting to be re--

leased by Cabinet. During the past 24 hours, two men who are able to judge, and have had long experience, have independently said to me that there is not a scrap of evidence to show that I gave my wife poison. Everybody says that I was found guilty before the trial started. "Some say that public opinion has died down now, but that is not so, and should I be granted a . re -trial I should endeavor to avoid taking it at the next session ... "Well, I have written a lot of myself. Hope you are keeping up, and keep the smile on your face. Do not worry what people say or think . . . Cheer up. Yours as ever, Arthur T. M." In his next letter, written on July 18, Munn mentions what pleasure he derived from the letters he received, and then he goes on: * _ "Have received word that the Council sits on Monday to consider my case. Well, we should know how things will go by Tuesday, anyway. "I would like to write you long let- . ters every time, but as you know I do j not like asking privileges. Not even here do I ask for anything that it is reasonable to do without .„. Keep smiling. Yours, Arthur T. Munn." • On July 22 Munn wrote- again. This letter, like the first two of the series, is written on ordinary writing paper, with blue line printed across the lefthand top corner. "There is nothing. doing yet," writes the occupant of the condemned cell, "though it is evident from last night's papers (which I don't see), that the Council is giving the matter consideration. I alßo learnt to-day that — — is doing his best to counter my appeal to Council. I expect he has sent m statements denying what I and others have said. If this action of his shows anything, it shows that he is afraid of a new trial and what it will reveal "It is just 8 weeks to the hour that I have been m this cell. ... I feel damned wild at times, and let go strong to release my feelings. Otherwise I am resigned to whatever happens. "If outside for a week I would sure get sufficient evidence to bush those fakers, and even if J.t is five years or more before I get' out, I will make that the object of . my remaining days. "I have found that I hold an easy record for the British Empire for term m this cell. Mine is. 56 clays. The next best is 45 days. I think it was m South Hampton- about a year ago ... "I was horn about seven miles, from Halcombe. My mother is buried at Halcombe, just at the back of the railway station. I can remember visiting the grave when my father put a fence i - ound it. I was then not more than 5 .years..-. .Yours sincerely, Arthur T. Munn." "THE END" .. The next letter is dated the following day. It is short, occupying less than a page, and m it Munn, doomed to pay the supreme penalty, shows that the Executive Council's 'decision has not shattered his cool nerve. "Five minutes ago," he writes, "I received the news that there is no reprieve, so the end, will come m a few days. Most likely -next Monday ... "This note I will ask to be sent by to-night's mail . . , You must keep your .pecker up, and dbnt worry. I will faoe death with pleasure, knowing that there are •

number who will wish they had not made the statements they did. "Must leave you here,, as they are waiting to take it to mail. Yours sincerely, Arthur T. Munn." Another single-page letter followed this one on July 24, ,and, strangely enough, Munn makes hardly a reference m this to his fate. "I sent a note yesterday as soon as I read the news," he says. "Had to write m a hurry. Captain Holmes was here, and I asked him to get it passed by the chief, so that he could take it to post for last night's train ... "I have an important piece of news for you, but you will have' to wait for it, and by the time I can get it to you, you will have read it m the papers." Munn then goes on to deal with personal matters and private arrangements he had attended to or desired to have made. ONE THOUGHT This was the last letter received up to Monday. Doubtless he wrote again, perhaps more than once, before he paid the supreme penalty on Tuesday morning. But one thing seems certain. Not once did his courage fail him; not once did the horror of the. last grim, scene grip him. Munn, as his letters show, was a remarkable man. At his trial x he showed indomitable coolness, and even the jury's verdict of guilty failed to shake him. Through the long period, m the condemned cell, his one thought was to prove his innocence, and who can doubt that up to the last minute, and m his final letters of farewell, he maintained the same -resolute spirit; the same attitude of almost debonair courage?