ALLEGED WIFE MURDER

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 18027, 23 May 1930, Page 7

ALLEGED WIFE MURDER

MUNN BEFORE COURT. TENTH DAY OF TRIAL. MUNN CONTINUES HIS EVIDENCE. FINDING OF THE POISON. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Thursday. The tenth day of the murder trial opened this morning. Interested In Politics. Munn was subjected to a vigorous cross-examination by Mr Meredith, the Crown Prosecutor. Mr Meredith: If there was nothing between you and Mrs Stuck why did you arrange to keep up a clandestine correspondence after she left for Christchurch? —To keep up the companionship. ' But she could not tell you much about politics in letters? —I think she could. She was acquainted with the Labour movement in Christchurch. So she was to write and let you know the political situation in Christchurch? —Yes, and general things. And you were to keep her posted of the Labour movement in Auckland? — Politics generally. Purchase of Poison. Rats had been causing him trouble, witness said, ever since he had been at Northcote. He had purchased and laid phosphorus poison two months before he purchased the strychnine. At first he got a few rats with it, but was not satisfied. He wished to persist. Mr Johnson warned him not to leave about any strychnine that was not used. He first used the poison in November. ll.e had not used it all on February 4 because he got ahead of the rats about the second or third week in December. The rat nuisance was temporarily settled. He decided to keep the strychnine in the house in case at some future time he might need it. He called his wife’s attention to it, and she would know its deadly nature. She was the only person other than himself who knew of its presence , under the carton. Whoever used it during those last ten days apparently used about half the bottle. When it was found by the police he knew it must have been Mrs Munn who put it there, and she who must have used it. His Honour: Was that your opinion when the police came? Witness: That was the only conclusion I could come to, your Honour. •That was the conclusion that you did come to at that time? —Yes, your Honour. On the 12th? —Yes. Mrs Munn's Veiled Threats. Witness said it did not occur to him that this had any connection with the purpose of which Mrs Munn had been speaking ancl her veiled threats to do something to alter her condition. On one occasion only he had used the drawer in which the bottle was found. On the evening of Wednesday, February 5, he went there to get a collar. He did not the bottle there then. Questioned about the furniture, he said the duchess was hard up against the bed- The gap would not be more tfyan two or three inches. He had heard Detective Power say he had measured the gap at two feet, but witness would still say the duchess was not anything like two feet away. Mr Meredith: Are you prepared, to contradict him on oath? —Yes. Mr Northcroft: He has already done it. Munn- said he would also contra • diet Detective-Sergeant Doyle’s evidence to the same effectQuestioned about the bottle found with the nux vomica pills, witness said he had not the faintest idea that the prescription contained strychnine. It had been handed to him as an abortive mixture. It cost him nothing, and he took it and handed it to his wife. He had heard in Court that it was nothing 'but a tonic. ELEVENTH DAY OF TRIAL. MUNN FINISHES HIS EVIDENCE. HAS 'A CLEAR CONSCIENCE. (Bv Telegraph.—Press Association.) ' AUCKLAND, Friday. To-day is the eleventh day of the trial of Arthur Munn for the alleged murder of his wife at Northcote. Munn’s cross-examination by Mr Meredith was continued. He denied that when he found that the poison was not in the pantry after his wife’s .death he immediately led the detectives into the bedroom. He added that he told the detectives that his children being girls he would have to have a house-keeper. When arrested he did not say, “ What is the evidence like? ” But “ What is the evidence? ’’ He also said, “ I bet this is the work of my son and those scandalmongers of women. Anyway, I have a clear conscience.” The detectives left out a lot of what he said. When he kissed Mrs Stuck good-night it was “ serious to some extent.” The good-night kisses continued until his arrest. The proposal pf marriage came out of a general discussion. He started it as a matter of form. Never Left His Wife. Accused, re-examined by Mr Northcroft, said his friendship with Mrs Stuck made no difference between him and his wife. During his wife’s illness he never left her except when she was sitting up in bed and said it was all right for him to go. Answering His Honour, accused said he was not quite clear now why his wife should have taken poison. Accused left the witness-box shortly before noon. Case May Finish on Tuesday. Mr. Northcroft intends to call three or four witnesses. Mr. Meredith’s present intention is to call two witnesses. On Monday Mr. Northcroft will address the jury, followed by Mr. Meredith for the Crown. The Judge will sum up and the case may finish on Tuesday, the fourteenth day.