CHARGE OF MURDER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21102, 12 August 1930, Page 9

CHARGE OF MURDER.

THE WANGANUI TRAGEDY. MANLEY STANDS MS TRIAL (Feb United Pbess Association.) WANGANUI, August 11. A true bill was returned by the grand jury against Herbert Frederick Manley for the murder of Gladys Barrington Cromarty, and the trial commenced. Mr W. It, Bain appeared for the Crown, and Mr J. Treadwell and Mr B. C. Haggitt for the accused. Considerable time was taken up in submitting plans of the Cromarty dwelling by Norman Annabel!, civil engineer. Dr Adams gave evidence of seeing the body of the deceased lying in a prone position on the floor. There was an incision right across the throat. On the day following the tragedy, he made a postmortem examination of the body. He was of opinion that the wound in the girl’s throat could not have been selfinflicted. It would have required a reasonable amount of force. Dr Lynch, pathologist, said he examined the shirt produced in court. There were blood stains on the left cuff. These were tested and proved to be human blood splashes. The blood on the trousers also proved to be human blood. He also examined the knife produced, which showed bloody smears on the handle. The scrapings from the handle proved to be human blood. Dr Nelson said that from the nature of the wound he would say that it was not self-inflicted, and it would be practically impossible for it to be self-inflicted. Mrs Elizabeth Cromarty, mother of the deceased, said that Manley had taken a pair of trousers to a cleaners, and when he brought them home he complained about a spot on them and seemed to think that they had not been cleaned properly. Afterwards he went upstairs and put them on. Witness identified the trousers produced in court as the ones she : referred to. On the Thursday night (May 8) she heard Manley say, regarding a visit to the pictures: “It will be for the last time.” Then she heard Gladys say: “What do you mean? ” and Manley had replied: “It will be for the last time, girl.” The witness proceeded to give in detail the evidence tendered in the lower court.. Coming to the Friday afternoon (May 9), she said she heard what she thought was a light step coming from the bathroom after Manley had gone upstairs, and then a heavy step in witness’s bedroom. After that came the sound of what she thought to be two people coming down the stairs. The kitchen door flew open and Gladys fell in. Witness saw that Gladys Was injured. She screamed and ran out! of the bsck door. She heard feet in the passage, and the front door clicking shut. Under cross-examination, witness said she first heard of the engagement between Manley and Gladys about the middle of March.. The relationship between the two was then happy. Mr Treadwell: Might I go further and say they were considerably attached to each other? —Yes. And you approved of the friendship? —Yes. His Honor: How old was your daughter?—Within a week of being 22. Mr Treadwell; Would I be exaggerating if I said that Manley was accepted by you and the other members of the family as a member of the house? —Yes; it was hia home. And he got to the stage where he was calling you “Mum”?—Yes. Mr Treadwell cross-examined the witness regarding the announcement of the 1 engagement. Witness said that Gladys told her about it first, and she seemed delighted abbut it. Before the ring was purchased Manley had made her (witness) a number of presents. Mr Treadwell; Just as a man would make to the mother of the girl, he was engaged to? —Yes. Mr Treadwell: Was Manley prodigal with his money? Was he anxious to get rid of it; to make presents?—Yes; I suppose he was. . Was Manley at that time anxious to help your sons Stanley and Norman? Did he not go out of his way to try and assist them and get them .situations? He behaved, did he not, in just the way you would expect a man engaged to. your daughter to behave?—-Yes. . Continuing, Mrs Cromarty said that Manley was at her house once between the middle of March and the beginning of April. Her daughter was with him, and their relationship was still happy. Both were rejoicing at the engagement. About the middle of April when Gladys came back from Koatanui she was in ex*cellent health, and was happy. . Mr Treadwell: And very anxious to go to Wellington to see Manley?—No. Mr Treadwell: Then will you tell us why she did go?—Because she got a very disturbing letter from him. She said she would go and. While they were m Wellington, were invited to go down there also?— . lidlSr <>f a., invito* ‘"Soli docojMd, repeated her evidence of the io wer court. Manley had rung her up from Wellington and told her that his engagement to Gladys had been broken off. v His Honor; How did he seem to take it? He seemed very broken-hearted A letter was handed to witness, which was recognised by her as one written by Manley to witness and her mother. xlis Honor and Mr Treadell conferred regarding the contents of this letter. Mr Bam submitted a further letter written^ to Dora Cromarty from the gaol at Wellington and dated July 8, 1939. To Mr Treadwell, witness said that Manley’s manner right up until the time of the tragedy was as it always had been; it was never any different, in witness s opinion, until the afternoon of Friday, May 9. It was only on rare occasions that witness saw Manley on account of her work. She had not Bee him at -her mother’s house before May 9, and was not in so favourabte a position to express an opinion about him as her mother was. Mr Treadwell: You had a telephone conversation with Manley. Can you describe what you took out of the conversation? Was Manley heartbroken? —Yes. Mr Treadwell; Does that adequately express what ■ you really thought of what Manley said? —Yea; he was heartbroken. Mr Treadwell referred to the letter witness had received from Manley about the engagement. ** When you got that letter and had that telephone conversation did you do anything? he asked. Witness: What do you mean? Mr Treadwell: Did you see anyone about them —your mother?—No. Your sister?—No. You kept that letter with you until this charge or murder, and you never told anybody about it?—Yes. i Mr Treadwell; Why?—Because .1 did not want to worry my mother. At this stage the court adjourned until to-morrow morning. The jury were retained and will not be freed until after the trial.