MURDER HEARING OPENS

Chronicle (Levin), 7 December 1949, Page 5

MURDER HEARING OPENS

Press Assdciationj

Constable Tslls Of Finding Foxton Widow's Bedy

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FOXTON, Dec. 7. With 38 witiicsses to be called, the Lbwer CbUft began today the heafirig of the charge of -murder agaihst Napoleon Brown, flaxcutter, married, aged 28, of Whittaker St., Foxton, who was charged that oh or abbut November 3, at Foxton, he did murder Emily Christina Hall. Mr. J'. R. Herd, S.M., presided. Mr. 'G. I. McGregor appeared for the' Crowri, and Mr. J. B. Bergin for accused, who' was wearing blain-striped black trousers, grey and plum jacket and cream shirt, floral decorated. He pleaded not guilty. • A number of women were. in the court. The hearing is expected to take two days. Kenneth Loan, surveyor, of Wellington, produced a map of .Foxtonshowing the residence of Mrs. Hall. Constable J. Bailoch, of Foxton, said that on November 6', while on duty, he was spoken to by Mr. Holland, hotel licensee, in the main street, regarding Mrs. Hall. He Went to No. 1 Cook Street at 10.50 a.m. and found the windows fastened on the inside by whe and fh-p pront and rear doors locked. By the insertion of a pen knife he managed to release the snib of the bedroom window and found the bed had not been slept in. The room was in order except that a blue jacket was lying on the floor by the door leading to the kitchen. In' the kitchen, continued witness, he saw the bodv of a woman lying on the floor. The head and face were covered in congealed blood. A black iron firp shovel was on the floor between the bodv and a table. A gasc was around the mouth of deceasea. He opened the rear door, which was locked on the mrde. bv sliding the bolt. Constable Bailoch said he searched the house and found an old electric light account and writfen on it the numbers of £5 to £50 YiotGS No one except tbp nolic° ente^d Ihe house, he sa'd in renly to Mr. Rprgin. amd he did not describe. Mrs. Hall's injuries to any one. Took £655 From Swamp. Sergeant J. Coulter. fingerprint exnert, detafled the taking of anumber of DhotoeraDhs of the decpased'.s body and the knot in the °"ag in her mouth. He also stated that he dug up a jar of money in t-he Moutoa swamn from a nosition shown him bv accused. The iar n^ntained £655, comnrised of five £50 nntes, four £10 notes, and 73 £5 notes. He produc°d the jar and also a bsdly d^nted fire shovel. On November 6. continued witness, he took samnles of the finererorints on the shovel. On November m he fineer-printed accused and Identified the 'prints on the shovel as his. Ther° were manv noints of similarity. Hn his oninion the prints on the shovel w^re^ those of the last person to handle it.