THE NORTHCOTE SENSATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20991, 2 April 1930, Page 10

THE NORTHCOTE SENSATION.

AUCKLAND, April 1. The Police Court was again crowded to-day when the hearing was continued of the charge of wife murder agamst Arthur Thomas Munn, of Northcote. Mrs Mary Jane Brown said she resided at Northcote, and hod known deceased for the last seven years. They often used to visit each other. Witness often saw the accused and his wife too'ether. Munn was not kind to ner. Witness had lunch with the deceased on the Monday, the day before she was first taken ill. Mrs Munn was then in good health and spirits.; That evenin? the accused called at witness s house about 0-30 and asked her if she would mind the children while he and Mrs Munn went to the pictures. She agreed and remained until the accused and Mrs Munn returned from the pictures. Mrs Munn provided supper, after which witness left. Witness first heard that Mrs Mhnn was ill on February 5, when the accused told her he had his W 1 very sick in bed. “I told the accused it was through his being unkind to her and keeping her up when she should be in bed,” added witness. Witness said she would go to see Mrs Munn, wheieupon the accused said: “ I don’t want ujjy d women down there. Ue also said she would look after herself. When witness called at the house Munn said his wife" thought she had kidney trouble, but she really had bipod pressure. Mrs Munn was- in bed, bne Was very nervous, and vfs.B twitching all over and drawing her legs up. She said she had lost the use of her legs. The deceased said she did not know what was wrong with her, but that Dr Budding said she had blood pressure. “ I think I had a stroke yesterday mornin"- when I was preparing breakfast, Mrs Munn said. On a subsequent occasion Mrs Munn told witness she had been given some Epsom salts by her husband that morning. She said they wete the “nastiest and bitterest salts she had ever tasted. “On one occasion,” said Mrs Brown, “I heard Mrs Munn ask her husband for some new linoleum for the floor. Munn replied: ‘Yon .can damn well scrub the boards when that’s worn out. Mrs Beatrice Knight Lydiard, who resides near Munn’s house, gave evideuce regarding events prior to the deceased's death, and postal officials gave evidence regarding the lodging and the despatch of the telegrams mentioned in the evidence given yesterday by Mrs Stuck. Evidence regarding the handwriting on the matrimonial advertisements published in the Star was given by Joseph James Murray, accountant in the Post and Telegraph Department. He said Munn’s writing was the same as that on the advertisement. Dr Reginald George Budding, of Northcote, said he had known Mrs Munn for three or four years and had attended her about 1G months prior to the illness which led to her death. She had quite recovered from her earlier illness. He was called to see Mrs Munn oh the mornin" of February 4. A message left was to°the effect that Mrs Munr had had a seizure which it was thought might be a stroke. Munn met him at the house, and witness went straight to the room where Mrs Munn was,lying in bed. He asked several questions regarding Mrs Munn’s illness, and Munn said she had been shaking all over and bad had some sort of convulsive seizure. He was also told that Mrs Munn had had some headaches and had been taking aspirins for it, hut there had been no sickness. Mr Meredith: Who made this comment? Witness: Munn, for the most part. I think Mrs Munn made some comment about headaches. In the description of the convulsive attack was any reference made to Holding on to a chair? —None at all. Or about the movements of the legs or arms?—They had been shaky. _ Was there any further description of the - convulsive movement? —No.

Was any reference' made to any previous similar attack?—l was told there had been none.

Who told you? —Munn. Detailing his examination, witness said Mrs Munn seemed to be rather “ played out,” and she did not seem very inclined to make any statement in regard to her feelings. Witness examined the heart and the nervous system and took the blood pressure. He found the blood pressure to be abnormally high, being 220 mm. Witness assumed from that that Mrs Munn was suffering from the effect of blood pressure and might have been on the verge of a stroke. He deemed it expedient to bleed her, and ho took off half a pint of blood, which Mini 11 tipped out. Witness prescribed a sedative mixture and ordered one teaspoonful of Epsom salts to be given every morning. He also indicated a diet. Witness next saw Mrs Munn about 3.20 p.m. on February C. A message had been left for him to go to the house, but he was on his way there and actually did not get the message until his return from the visit. Mrs Munn seemed very comfortable, and witness was not Very concerned about lief condition as he had not expected much improvement in that time. Assuming his original diagnosis was accurate, he did not consider Mrs Munn to be seriously ill, Munn called on witness on February 8 and said the mixture was finished. He added that his wife’s condition was much the same. Witness told Munn to repeat the medicine, and said he would call at a later date. Witness called on the morning of February 10. Mrs Munn appeared quite comfortable, and was joking about having to stay in bed. After they had left the room Munn said his wife had been very nervy and that the noise of children running about seemed to get on her nerves. Witness took Mrs Munn’s pressure again, and it was still high. There was really no nursing treatment required as witness saw the case, and Munn seemed quite capable of looking after his wife. About 9.10 a.m. on February 11 Mrs Gill, a neighbour of the Munns, arrived at witness's residence with a message from Munn stating that Mrs Munn had had another bad turn. Witness was engaged at the time, but he went to Munn’s place ns soon as he was free, ■which was about 10 minutes later. Mrs Munn was lying on the bed on the side opposite to that on which he had usually seen her on his visits. Her clothing was disarranged and wot. and the bed was also wet. Apparently the wetness had been caused by Munn in applying cold water cloths to the heart, Mrs Munn seemed hysterical, and kept calling out that she did not want to be touched. Witness decided that her clothing should be changed, but Mrs Munn said: Oh, don t touch me.” However, Mrs Munn’s, clothes were changed. After she had been shifted in bed Mrs Munn began to shake. First of all it was just a trembling over the whole body, but by holding her arms gently he was able to restrain the move ments there. He thought the patient was hysterical Shortly after her condition changed. The body became archcdt Mrs Munn was conscious and moaning. Her jaws closed, and then she complained of thirst. During the attack she resented very strongly being touched. Immediately witnessed perceived the nature of the attact he administered a quarter of a grain of morphia hypodermically. The convnl■ion seemed to ouieten down after about

four minutes. Witness asked Munn if this convulsion was similar to the one his wife had had before, to which Mnnn said, “ Yes.” The convulsion, witness said, was not consistent with blood pressure. For one thing the patient’s mind was conscious, and the arching of the body was entirely inconsistent with blood pressure or its effects. The fear of being touched was also not consistent with blood pressure. The symptoms were usually associated with strychnine poisoning if an attack came on suddenly. Witness then became highly suspicious, but he did not mention his suspicion to Munn or to the patient. Munn again called about 11 a.m. that day. He said Mrs Munn’s breathing seemed to have stopped and he could not feel her pulse. Witness went immediately to the house and found that Mrs Munn was dead. The muscles of the body were rigid and the arched condition previously noted was present. Witness was very much more confirmed then in the diagnosis he had made on his earlier visit. Witness looked round to see If there was strychnine or anything that might be strychnine about the room. There was a little fluid in a cup—about a quarter full—standing on the table about four feet away from the bed. Witness put some of the fluid into a container and placed it in a case in which he carried a hypodermic syringe. He tasted the fluid in the cup by placing his little linger in the fluid and placing it to the top of his tongue.' It was bitter,, and it was then that witness took a sample of it. He then left the residence and went to a chemist’s dispensary at Northcotc. Witness asked the chemist (Mr Johnson) to show his poisons register, which was produced. There was an entry to the effect that Munn had purchased a dram of strychnine. Witness thought the date of the purchase was shown as November, but he could not saj definitely. . , ~ ~ _ Mr Meredith produced the register, which showed the date as November. 25 While at the chemist’s witness tested the specimen for strychnine. carried • out several tests. The first test did not give a reaction for strychnine. A different test also gave no reaction for strychnine. A test with the remainder of the solution was carried out, but witness could not satisfy himself that the result gave positive reaction for sti ychnine as he was not skilled in those matters. Dr Duddmg said he then decided to get specimens for a further analysis by a competent person. He went back to Munn s residence, taking with him four bottles which he procured from a chemist, Munn was not then at home. Munn returned' while witness was making preparations to collect the , specimens. Munn said he was going to town, but was so upset that he had forgotten to put on a collar which he had come back for. Witness fancied Munn came into the bedroom to get a collar, but he could not be definite on that point, Munn left again within a few minutes. Witness examined the body. He then secured the samples he wanted and took the fluid from the cup which he had tasted on a previous occasion. He also took some water and .some colourless liquid out of a jug. Witness obtained the chemist’s boy as a messenger to delivered samples to Mr Parker, an analyst. A report from the analyst was received next day, and as a result of that report Parker reported the matter to the police. Mr Meredith: While you were attending Mrs Munn did she give any signs of depression? Dr D lidding: No; on the other hand she was fairly cheerful. Was Munn present when you examined Mrs Munn to see if she were dead? —He was in the ' room. Did you tell him she was dead?— Ygs* Did he say anything? —He said nothing for a while, and then he said, “ A man does get some knocks.” As a result of what you had seen in the end, what in your opinion was the cause of death? —Strychnine poisoning. One or several doses ?—Several doses—more than one. Comparing the convulsion on February A with the convulsion on February 11 what would .you indicate as the cause of tile convulsion on February 4?—That it was caused by the same agent, namely, strychnine. \ What would you say about- Mrs Gill’a demonstration of Mrs Munn’s convulsion? —That it was typical of strychnine.

What is the effect of strychnine on the blood pressure?—Strychnine raises the blood pressure. How was the blood pressure for consistency?—lt was the same reading—consistently high on each occasion. Would that consistently high reading fie consistent with several administrations of strychnine?—lt would be. In reply to Mr Northcote, Dr Budding named the ingredients in the mixture he had prescribed for Mrs Munn, The court then adjourned until tomorrow.

ALLEGED WIFE MURDER. CHARGE AGAINST MUNN. DR DUDDING’S EVIDENCE. (Special to Daily Times.)