MOTHER'S ORDEAL

Chronicle (Levin), 12 February 1947, Page 4

MOTHER'S ORDEAL

- Press Associatiom

Evidence For Befence In Murder Trial

By Telegrapn—

AUCKLAND, Feb. 11. An unexpected suggestion cropped upin the eoncluding stages of the Browns case in the trial on a charge of murder of Reginald Alexander Donaldson., Questions by the aceused's counsel were direeted to an indication that the:aecused's. confession to the police- might, 'have been a false confession. "Didn't someone else at Whangarei! confcss that they had shob Peachey ? asked Mr. Trimmer, for the defenCe, cross-examining Detective-Sergeant Finlay, who had given evidence of the confession by the accused. Witness said he had not heard that a womait had confessed to liring the shjt. To other questions, witness said there was a check-up on all persons carried by taxi to the neighj)ourho.od oti Peachey 's home about the time of thq murder. Asked if it had been reported that a man had been carried to the vieinity in a taxi at this time, witnesk said there had been no report made to that effect, and the check-up of taxis was- dropped as a result of developm.en.ts- in connection with the accused. To Mr. Meredith, for the Crowiq witness said the aceused's statement was eonfirmed by the calibre of an empty shell found outside the window at Peachey 's, as well as by the linding of the pistol where he said he had thrown it. Detective-Sergeant E. W. Mahood corroborated the former witness as to the aceused's confession. John Francis Donaldson, accused 'h brother, said accused was often sick and could not do heavy work around the farm. When unwell accused would go to bed and not eat. He rarely talked at any time and eould not take any responsibility as he seemed to lose his head in an emergeney. He could not even be relied upon to get all the- cows in for milking. He was subpect to sleepless nights and nightmares, an,d was sullen and moody in the dajdime, He seemed very upset over the second break with Rona (Mrs. Peachey) and' said that there seemed to be nothing left in life. This eoneluded the case for the Crown. Opening the case for the defenee, Mr. McCarthy said an attempt would be made to prove that Donaldson did not realise that what he ha.d done was wrong. Evidence would be given. by his mother that accused had always been a weakling aud generally had been unable to cope with liie's burdens. An Air Eorce non-commissioned offieer who would be called would say that accused was "up in the air" whenever he Eeceived -letters from Rona Peachey, btit at other times was in the deptlis of d'espondeney. He was boarded out- of the service because he was incapable of carrying out tho duties asked of him. Witnesses would give evidence that after his break with Rona Peachey he seemed to lose all interest in life. Medical evidence of aceused's mentality would also be given. Mr. McCarthy said a taxi-driver who drove a man to within 150 yards of Peacliey 's house at preeisely the same time a& the shooting would give evidence. William George Tueker, of Kiwi Taxis, Whangarei, said shortly before 7 o 'clock on the evening of the tragedy he took a man to Raumanga road. The man had no idea where he wanted to go and gpt out at a vaeant section near Peachey 's. He was short and dark with curly hair and wore an overcoat. He loolted to be between 30 and 35 years. Mrs. Ruby Zelandia Donaldson, mother of accused, gave evidence. She was greatlv distressed by the proceedings and broke down several times. Accused, she said, was a premature babv and very delicate and a difficult child to rear. Slie said he often refused to eat and doctors said he had a weak heart. Before he met Rona Peachey- he had never been hiterested in girls, bnt she completely swept him off his feet. He talked of marrying her and building a house uear his present home. When their affair ^broke up. accused^beeame a changed man. He just moped about the farm aud would sit for long periods o'n his bed reading the letters Rona Peachey had written him. He hardly spoke at all and lost all pride in his app'earanee. On one occasion when he dropped the stem of his razor dpwn the washbasin at home he smashed the basih to atoms and walked away without speaking. On Sunday, July 14, JMrs. Donaldson said that her son-in-law visited the house and during the afrternoon read aloud from a chureh magazine an account of Peachey 's wedding. This upset accused and he refused to eat any tea. Instead he lay on the couch reading the church magazine. His Honour: Did accused know of the marriage beforehand? Witness: It was in a newspaper, but I hid it from him so he wouldn't read it. After he had been reading the magazine for some time accused suddenly stood up, Mrs. Danaldson contkiued. He had a ghastlv'look on his face and stared straight across the room. I said, "Are you going to bed, Reggy?" But he didn't answer and walked out of the room. She didn't see him again that night. . . Jj The following afternoon Mrs. Child^J' her daughter, came over and brought the local newspaper and they all read of the tragedy. ' ' Reggy was there: and read it, too,'-' she added. At this point Mrs. Donaldson broke down. "It's all my fault. I should have known better. I blame myseff for all, of it, ' ' she sobbed. Re-examined) by Mr. Meredith, Mrs. Donaldson said that she had' never had accused examined by a psychiatrist. Carl James Just, aceused's brother-in-law, said. he-had known accused. sincc he was 1£ years old. He had always been " mother 's boy." After ha had broken wi'th Rona Peachey accused; told him. that "life was finished"' The hearing was adjourned.