HEARING EVIDENCE OF SENSATIONAL NATURE IN MURDER TRIAL

Wanganui Chronicle, 8 February 1950, Page 5

HEARING EVIDENCE OF SENSATIONAL NATURE IN MURDER TRIAL

PALMERSTON NORTH, Last Night (PA). —Hearsay evidence of a sensational nature was allowed by Mr. Justice Gresson in the Supreme Court when the trial continued of Napoleon Brown, on a charge of murdering Mrs Emily Christina Hall, at Foxton. It was to the effect that shortly prior to her death Mrs. Hall had complained to a friend that Brown had visited hethome on the pretext of paying rents, locked the door behind him and then demanded money from Mrs. Hall, accompanied by threats. The counsel for the defence strenuously objected to the admission of this evidence, which was given by Senior Detective Power, who was recounting an interview with the accused prior to Brown's arrest. He had told the accused about Mrs. Hall's complaint. His Honour stated that if only Brown’s answers were admitted in evidence, without admitting the remarks of Senior Detective Power which evoked the answers, the interview would be unintelligible. The witness Power said when Mrs. Hall's complaint was put to the accused he denied it. Power also said he was a member of a police party guided by Brown to a swamp where a jar of money was recovered. Witness said that accused explained that after he was told by a man named Flutey that Mrs. Hall was dead, he saw an opportunity of getting possesion of a large sum of money he knew Mrs. JI all had. He went with Flutey to her house and found her dead on the floor.

Power added that Brown said he removed a fire-shovel which was lying on her chest, wiped the blood from his hands on her clothing, took the money and left the house with Flutey. Dr. P. Lynch, pathologist, gave the probable sequence of events leading up to Mrs. Hall’s death as several blows on the head with a fireshovel, one or two blows in the face with a fist and then asphyxiation by sacking tied round the mouth, followed by manual strangling by fingers round the throat and a fracture of the spine. Several fractured ribs and bruises in the vicinity of the breastbone indicated the assailant probably kneeled on the chest of his victim while she was lying on the floor. Human bloodstains found were on Brown’s trousers but none on the clothing of Flutey. The case will continue tomorrow.