CAMP MYSTERY BOOKSELLER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20036, 7 September 1939, Page 14

CAMP MYSTERY

BOOKSELLER

DEATH OF MRS. PATIENCE WIFE-MURDER CHARGE WOMAN'S STORY IN COURT RELATIONS WITH ACCUSED (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this clay. Further evidence on the charge of wife-murder against Arthur John Patience jvas heard by Mr. E. C. Levvey, S.M., in the Magistrate s Court yesterday. Mrs. Daphne Gladys Spencer, Christchurch, said that for about two years she and her husband and their children lived at Claverley Camp. Their house was near Patience s, about 100yds. away. They were on friendly terms with the Patiences and exchanged visits. On October 4, the day Mrs. Patience disappeared, she saw her several i times. Mrs. Patience was 'of a very quiet, reserved disposition and was always the same. She seemed no different from usual that day. She saw her last about 4.45 o’clock that evening. Mr. Patience had come home about 5 o’clock. She went over to see Mrs. Patience about 7.15 a.m. next day, and the door was locked. She saw Patience going to work when she went across. She saw him again when he came home from work that evening. She asked where “mother’’ had gone, and he said she had gone to town the evening before. The next time she saw him, on October 6, he said he would not know until the Sunday when Mrs. Patience was coming back. Widow’s Evidence Mrs. Clarice Rita Chapman, widow, Christchurch, said that her husband was killed hr an accident on public works at Conway in July, 1938. She had known' Patience for two years, having first met him at Claverley Camp. She was on friendly terms with Mr. and Mrs. Patience, and exchanged visits. Conway Camp, where she and her husband lived, then was five or six miles from Claverley. Mrs. Chapman said that she and her husband were not too friendly at times. Just before her husband’s death she was friendly with the accused. She had relations with him in November, 1937, and the relationship continued till quite recently—two months ago. Patience, when he came to town, used to stay at the house at which she lived. In October of last year he moved to Rosy Morn Camp. She had been to that camp occasionally after her husband’s death. She discussed the future with Patience. She told him he should ask to get a separation from Mrs. Patience if he intended to go on the way they were. She discussed the matter with Patience several times. As far as she knew, Mrs. Patience did not know of the relationship between Patience and herself. Visit to Christchurch He came on October 7 to the place at which she lived in Christchurch. She asked him where Mrs. Patience was and whether she was at Mrs. George's. He said she was not there, but she had left. She asked him what he was going to do about Mrs. Patience's disappearance. He suggested interviewing the police, and she, not knowing, what to do, suggested seeing a lawyer. He told her that on October 4, between G. 30 p.m. and 8 p.m.. Mrs. Patience went out and that she had taken £4B with her. Witness lived at her mother’s house in Christchurch. He stayed there on Friday, October 7, and that weekend. She received a letter from him that week, but did not remember what was in it. She next saw him on October 20, when he came to her place. She asked him if he had heard where Mrs. Patience had gone, and kept on asking him to do something about it. She had made arrangements to take a holiday. In October, she and Patience went to Blenheim. They intended to go to Tophouse. They arrived at Blenheim and booked in a hotel under the name of Mr. and 'Mrs. Patterson. At tea time Patience was interrupted and told he was wanted. They finished their tea, and she went up to her room and he .vent round to the police station. She herself made a statement to the police that evening. Twice before she and the accused had booked in as Mr. and Mrs. Patterson at the Federal Hotel, Christchurch. Police Interview After they were interviewed by the police at Blenheim they did not stay at Barry’s Hotel, where they had been. They left and went to the Criterion Hotel, where they booked in under their separate names. Mrs. Chapman said that her own married life was not happy. The question of her leaving her husband had been discussed between them, but she could not remember if she had discussed it with Patience. The question of Patience leaving Mrs. Patience had been discussed. In October she received clothing and teaspoons from Patience. The accused had asked her to go away with him. At first she said she would, but later she refused. She would have married him, but she would not go away with him. Daisy Mann, Federel Hotel, Christchurch. said that on the evening of December 17, 1953, a man and womenbooked in under the name of Mr. and Mrs. A. Patterson. She produced the hotel register. She gave them a double room for the night they stayed there, and they had breakfast next morning before they- 1011. On January 21, Mr. and Mrs. A. Patterson were booked in and again given a double room. They left after breakfast next morning. Arthur Henry Hodson, porter, Barry’s Hotel, Blenheim, said that about 5 o'clock on Saturday, October 22, a man and woman arrived and

asked for accommodation. They aske'd for and were given a double room. The man was the accused. Differences Alleged Albert Edward Fletcher, who knew Patience at Claverley, said towards the latter end of the time there seemed to be a difference between Patience and his wife. Mrs. Chapman appeared to be the cause of it. He received for Patience from Mrs. Chapman about 12 letters. They were enclosed in envelopes addressed to him. This was done so that Mrs. Patience woidd not know. David William McKay, a single man, who used to work at Claverley Camp and had worked with Patience for the last 18 months, told of one day, after Mrs. Patience’s disappearance, he and Patience were going from the camp to Suicide Point, where work was being done on the road from Claverley Gate to Happy Valley Gate. Between a quarter and half a mile towards Suicide Point lie noticed blood spots. He passed a remark to Patience about them, and the accused said it might have been a dog. There was quite a number of blood spots just before going down to Happy Valley Gate. Next day, when Patience went off work at the end of his shift at 11.30 a.m.. he went towards his home. McKay said that at that time he went to Happy Valley Creek to get water in a billy. He glanced back at Patience, who was going back to camp, and at the spot where he had passed the remark about the blood spots, the day before, he saw Patience kick something with his boots. It was the exact place at which he had seen tlie blood spots. Bloodstains on Road Hugh John Clark, who was at Claverley Camp until October of last year, said that one morning, going to. work, he saw bloodstains on the road between Claverley Camp and Happy Valley. He was with Patience and David McKay when he saw them. They extended a fair way along the road. Someone said it must have been a dog or a sheep. William McQueen, a public works labourer at Happy Valley, near Claverley, described the, events and the discussions after the disappearance of Mrs. Patience. He said that on July 20 of this year he went to the beach in the afternoon and there saw a woman’s body unclothed. It was the body of Mrs. Patience. Ho could recognise it. During the three years he had been there ihe sen ha-1 not washed away the land at Suicide Point until the day before the body was found. At this stage the court was adjourned until 10 o’clock this morning.