THORN ON TRIAL

Southland Times, Issue 19501, 16 March 1925, Page 7

THORN ON TRIAL

ACCUSED GIVES EVIDENCE. GIRL’S SUICIDE PUT FORWARD BY DEFENCE. (By Teleirraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, March 4. (Received March 15, 5.5 p.m.) At the resumption of the trial of Norman Thorne on a charge of murdering his fiance Elsie Cameron, Thorne gave evidence that she wanted to make immediate arrangements for marriage. He told her that this was impossible. She seemed partly hysterical and cried several times. Witness said he left her in the hut when he went to meet Miss Caldicott. When he returned at 11.45 p.m. he found her suspended from a beam, with a slip knot at the back of her head. Her feet were touching the floor. He cut the cord and the girl’s face struck a suitcase wn : le he was carrying her to the bed. He thm •' she was dead, lost his head and cut up the body. Mr James Cassels, K. C., the defending counsel, in dramatically developing for the defence the theory of suicide, declared that microscopical slides of the skin on Miss Cameron’s neck indicated crushing consistent with the pressure of a rope. The defence contended that these slides proved Thome’s case. The hearing was adjourned.