TRIAL CONTINUES

Southland Times, Issue 21087, 20 May 1930, Page 8

TRIAL CONTINUES

THE MUNN CASH'; EVIDENCE OF DETECTIVE INTERVIEW WITH ACCUSED (Per United Press Association.) ' Auckland, May 19. The inorder trial was resumed this? morning. Evidence was given concerning the property held by Munn and his wife. Detective-Sergeant Doyle was then called, and he repeated his, Lower Court evidence concerning an interview with accused, including the finding of the bottle marked poison in the top drawer of the duchess in the room where Mrs Munn died. Witness said he asked Munn: “Is this your drawer?” and Munn replied Yes. Immediately witness lifted the bottle Munn said, “That’s it.” - Witness asked how the bottle got into the drawer, but Munn replied that he did not know and the last time he saw it was in the pantry about a fortnight before. Witness said there were no finger prints on the bottle. Detective Doyle said he took a second statement from Munn on February 15 and again saw him on March 8 when he arrested him. Munn expressed surprise, and commented, “What is the evidence like?" Witness refused to discuss that, and Munn said, “I told you I bought poison, I called the doctor and did everything for the damn woman. Can I get bail?” Accused was then taken away while witness and Detective Power remained in the house. In a jewel drawer in a duchess in the bedroom witness found a small bottle (produced) containing two small pills. The label had the name “Miss Harvey” written on it and the chemist’s name, G. S. Shaw. The instructions were for one pill to be taken after meals. The pills were now being analysed. Witness said the pills were certainly not in the drawer when he ■searched the room on February 12, the day after Mrs Munn’s death. Afternoon Session. The ' cross-examination of Detective-Ser-geant Doyle was continued this afternoon. Mr Northcroft: .Why did you not tell us before about finding the bottle with the pills in it? —I did not attach any importance to it as the pills were not in the jewellery box on February 12. I went to a chemist, Shaw of Queen street, and ascertained that the pills were a tonic made’up for Miss Harvey nine years before. Did he tell you what the pills contained? —Yes. ■ Mr Northcroft: It is an amazing thing that they were sent off for analysis to-day. You reported the matter to the Crown Solicitor as soon as you knew about it'L— Yes. , Cross-examined relative to nocturnal visits by the police to Munn’s place of residence, Detective-Sergeant Doyle admitted he had visited the house in the evenings. One night he went to Mrs Gill’s flat at about 9.30 p.m. and remained in and around the house all night. . . To his Honour: That was during the time Mrs Stuck was in the house. Witness said he left at one o’clock in the morning. How many occasions were you round about Munn’s home at night?—Three or four occasions. Evidence in substantiation of the statements made by Detective-Sergeant’'Doyle was given by Detective Power. Questioned as to the nature of his search of deceased’s bedroom, witness said he had a look at everything in the room.

“Was this- bottle anywhere about the table on that day?” asked Mr Meredith, holding up the bottle which had contained the pills sent for analysis. Witness: No.

You are sure of that?—Quite. Cross-examined by Mr Northcote, witness said that Munn had no hesitation in going out to the pantry for the strychnine. Mr Northcroft: Did he appear to be surprised when he found it was not there?— No.

Do you mean to say he deliberately took you to a place where he knew the poison would not be and did not have the wit to pretend surprise ?—There may have been a pretence.

Mr Northcroft: Did the page referring to the antidote for strychnine in Dr Chase’s book appear to have been turned down?— Not that I could see.

Mr Northcroft said his impression was that the page had been freshly turned down, but he could not remember whether the place referred to strychnine or not. Mr Meredith thought the place marked referred to prussic acid. However, no suggestion would be made that this place had been turned down by Munn.

Charles Frederick Shaw, chemist of Queen street, said the prescription for pills was made up on August 2, 1921, and was for 24 pills, each containing two grains of nux vomica which was commonly used as a stomachic tonic, The chemist said there was a certain amount of strychnine in nux vomica, and 24 pills would contain a total of three-fifths of a grain, so that each pill had one-fortieth of a, grain of poison. Except for the analyst’s report on the pills,-the prosecution has concluded and the hearing was' adjourned until to-morrow morning.