THE MOUAT CASE.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1925, Page 3

THE MOUAT CASE.

[by TELEGRAPH —rER PRESS ASSOCIATION

CHIMSTCHFROII, April 17

In the Mount (asc, Nonna- Low, aged six years, said she was sent by Mrs Prosser to .Mount’s house. She saw Mount inside poking the fire and putting Jeyes Enid round it. Francis Kelly, Railway Porter, said that at the Glcnnvy Hotel last year, he witnessed two rows between the Mounts. Once Mount and Mrs Mount scuffled on the lioor for a quarter of an hour in the scullery.

In the Mount case. Dr. Robert Roy Douglas Milligan. Bio-Chemist, of C hristchurch Hospital, said that he made mi examination of a pillow handed to him by Dr I’earson. He examined a little strip from the blood-stained

area, and he came to the conclusior that blood was present. He made several tests before arriving at that con elusion.

Witness detailed the nature, of his investigation. Half of the stained portion, which was removed, was taken by Mr Biekerton. Witness also examined two blankets. One had a large piece cut out. hut a good deal of the remainder of the blanket was stained. He concluded that the stains wore blond. There were a number of other small stains on that hinnkel. On the second blanket there were several stained areas. Where stain was present, and tests wore applied, he had chemical results indicating the presence of blood. He examined a sheet which contained a number of stains. He examined several of these stains, and lie concluded that blood was pres-

A. O. Biekerton. Government Analyst. Christchurch, said he had examined the waste pipe for blood, and he. found the stains to contain the colouring matter of blood. On March 18 lie received from Doctor Pearson two pieces of blanket, v.liich he examined for blood. He found red colouring matter that gave the required test, and in his opinion it was blood. Senior-Sergeant Shannahan. ot Oamaru. put in a statement which he obtained from Mount on March Ist. In it. lie said : “On the night of Thursday. February 19th., my wife and I were at a early at Prosser’s house, in our street. The party broke up at about 10.30 p.m. My wife and 1 went home together. Mrs Prosser came to our gate. My wife and I went inside, and went to tied at about 10.15. I got up at about 0.15 a.in. on Friday (February glHli), and made a cup of tea. using the gas. f took a cup of tea into my wife, and had one myself. I then went into the garden, dug some potatoes, ami started to clean the grass round the house. I worked on that until breakfast time. My wife called me in at about S a.ill. hr breakfast, which she had got ready, of bacon and eggs. After break fast l went out into the garden, grubbing grass. My w ile came out of the house about 9 a-.m. She was dressed in a blue serge costume, a small tilting hat of dark colour with red and hire feathers, and brown leather shoes. She had a leather purse hag in her hand, and was wcai ing brown stockings. She said : Well, now I’ll go. as I don't want to disappoint Mrs. Hardy, and if l don't come hatk to-night, lake my hag to the station. We had arranged to go to I’urnkaiiui, to uiv mother’s place, on Saturday. She would catch about the third tram to the city. I have not seen or heard of her since. From Purakanm. I advised Mrs Hardy (by letter). Mrs Edwards (by letter). Mrs I’rcs.ser (by letter), and Mrs -Morrell (by telegram), that I could not get any trace ot uiv wife, f have been married' since P.llO. and my wife and I have always got on well together. M c have never hud un\ quarrels, except in lt)l-l, in ( nrist- , iuirch. She went off w ith another man. I was in Melbourne at the time, returning from Most Africa. On I'cbruary Hi. 17. IS. and I Dili.. I remained about home, a-- I had asked I", lime oil to codec. mints at Oamnrn. I wanted my wile to go. and she wanted me to go. Eventually we decided, after leaving Airs Prosser on that night,, that we would go on Natmday. My wife soaked a blanket and a counterpane (white)' on Thursday, February 19th., between three and live p.m. She le.t them in water until before breakfast on Friday morning. Fcbrnarv 20th. 1 put them on the line lor her. I took them in <n Saturday morning. They were oil' the bed where Jim Ilecney idee; s when he is ut the house. The bedding on the tied consisted of three blankets, a white counterpane.- and cue sheet. My wile and I generally slept together. Sometimes, if L was going to bed early, 1 would take a |a; or and go into a spare rum and sleep there. We slept together the night I .cl ore she left. T do not know if my wife was friendly with any other man. t did not report the matter to the police. ns i thiught she may have come home. Annie Marion Hardy said that AltMount did not keep an appoint menwith her on Friday. February 20th., •ml she had not seen her since. On Feb run rv 25th„ about 8 in the mornin,, she saw Mount at her house. ,!e said: “Did you sec Nellie?” Witness s-,id- “No! Isn’t she at homo? lie said “No”, and stated that she was not up home. Witness asked Whe.e -is she. then?” and Mount said that he Rid not know. He said that she went on Friday morning, and he had noseen her since. Witness said: .>•> von mean that?” Mount said ”\osP Witness said: “You must, know win), she is. Every man knows where liewife is when she leaves the home. Witness told Mount to go to .Tad* ~ place (Merrett’s) to see if she wa* there Mount said she would he away down to his mother’s. Witness knew v.hat dresses and frocks Mrs Aloha r.,,1 ns (she had shown them to h*). Witness went with the Chief Detectivo to the house at St. Martin's and could not find any dresses or iw » of Airs Mount’s. The nnsong pmof 1 corsets produced w.v the - only la* Airs Mount had as inr as '• ltn ‘ p, K ,v.\ The handbag produced was one which Afrs Mount always had warn, she went up to town. She had FeeMrs Mount wearing the wristlet watch and the nugget brooch (produced). ' ■ ness identified the lon_ net ot la «• teeth now in the possession of the P*>l i( . c as the set which Airs Mount wore when at witness’s house. The Court adjourned till 10 n.m. morrow.

TO-DAY’S EVIDENT K. CHRISTCHURCH. April IS. When the Mount ease was resumed Dot H tire-Sergt. Connolly described the sc ,."ch of Mountls house on Tobruai> omh Flankets in the front room confined two large stains and appeared to have been recently washed. In the dining room he found a greasy substance at the hack of the grate and under the copper in the washhouse he found a quantity of hones. Other ho es were found under debris in the y.ml. Witness took possession of two saws. „ tomahawk, knives and hayonet. and produced also a chisel.