ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO MURDER GIRL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17756, 28 January 1926, Page 6

ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO MURDER GIRL.

YOUTH URGED HER TO SWALLOW POISON, POLICE DECLARE.

(Special to the “Star.”) AUCKLAND, January 28. Looking pale and worn, and speaking in a voice scarcely above a whisper, Muriel Tetzlaff, aged nineteen, slight and of wistful face, appeared in the Hamilton Court to-day as the chief witness in a charge of attempted murder preferred against a young man of nineteen years, Roy Charles Dorn, formerly an assistant at Fow’s auction mart.

Miss Tetzlaff, whom it is alleged Dorn attempted to murder, is still an inmate of the Waikato Hospital, and as she sat in Court she was closely attended by her mother, and was obviously far from well. Detective-Sergeant Sweeney said that accused and Tetzlaft had been keeping company for two years, and about three months ago the girl found herself in a certain condition. She made the fact known to accused, who did not offer to marry her, and in October or November last she went to live with her sister at Manawaru, near Te Aroha. Here Dorn visited her and she pressed him to marry her. He finally persuaded her to come to Hamilton, where he bought her a wedding ring, which she wore, and passed herself off as Mrs Dorn.

Her parents later became suspicious of the supposed marriage, and her father interviewed Dorn and together they went to the Registry Office and secured the necessary marriage papers, including a consent to marry form for signature by the girl’s father, the girl being a minor. That night Dorn visited the girl at Almadale boardinghouse where, unknown to the proprietor, he stayed the night with her. During a conversation he asked her if she loved him still, and she said she did. He then told her that he did not care for her, and could not go on with the marriage, as the only girl he loved was in Gisborne. Then he pulled out a small bottle of ammonia and threatened to drink it, but she knocked his hand away. He then said that if she did not drink it he would, or that they would both do it together. She said she would rather drink it than he, and he handed it to her, asking her to write a note stating that she did it of her own free will. This she did, but tore the\ note up, asking him to leave the matter over till the morning. During the night she pressed him several times to go on with the marriage, which was fixed for the following Saturday, but he declared that nothing would make him change his mind. He left earh’- in the morning, but he called again on his way to work and asked her to see him at Fow's. He also brought her a sheet of note-paper and pen. She wrote a note and called on him about nine o’clock, when he gave her the small bottle or ammonia, and some sticks of cordite, which he told her to take together, stating that if she did not take them he would have to do it.

He then thanked her for what she was going to do for him, and shook her by the hand. She then went to a friend at Ngaruawahia, where she took both cordite and ammonia, and, becoming very ill, Dr Martin was sent for. Her life being despaired of, Dorn was later arrested and charged with attempted murder. The evidence of the girl Muriel Tetalaff was on similar lines to the outline of the case by the Detective-Sergeant. The note which she wrote at Almadale boarding-house was as follows; “ My darling boy, after what you told me last night I can’t go on. I love you, dear, better than life itself, and for that very reason I am going to leave you free. Please Roy in years to come do not altogether forget the little fool who loved you not wisely, but only too well. I knew you would never be happy if you married me, when you loved someone else just as much as I love you, so good-bye and God bless you dear. Your loving and broken-hearted Muriel.”

Witness said that she wrote this note at Almadale that morning before going to Fow’s auction mart. Dorn bought her both pen and paper. She asked him what would happen if they found out that he gave her the stuff. lie said that in view of getting the marriage papers the day before they would never suspect him. The girl then described the taking of the poison at Ngaruawahia, after which she consulted Dr Martin. She took the ammonia because Roy Dorn had told her that if she did not he would. She did not want him to take it. She wanted to put herself out of the way. Witness had told accused in November last that she would take her life if accused did not marry her. She then had some mothballs which she had among her clothes, and threatened t 6 take these. Dorn then took them off her, and said it was no use doing it while he was there. She wrote a letter to Dorn on his promise that he would show it to no one but his mother, to the effect that he was not the father of her unborn child. Accused had said that his mother was going to Melbourne and the letter was so that she would not worry about this. Accused asked witness ifshe would give him all the letters he had written. Accused said if she would give up these letters he would return the letter about him not being the father of her unborn child. Witness returned her letters but accused had not kept his promise. Accused pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence and was committed for trial.