ST. MARTIN’S MYSTERY

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1925, Page 3

ST. MARTIN’S MYSTERY

THE SECOND TRIAL. [BT TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, August 21. The second trial of Frederick Refer .Mount who is alleged to have murdered his wile, Ellen Louise -Mount at St. Martin’s on or about February 20th., and to have burned the body, was commenced to-day before Mr .Justice Reed. Air A. T. Donnelly appeared for the Crown, and the counsel for .Mount were .Messrs C. S. Thomas and \V. J. Sim. In answer to his Honour, Air Donnelly said that the trial would last till Thursday. The Crown dial longed ten jurors and the defence two. In his opening address, the Crown Prosecutor said that the jury must give to the case impartial consideration. The case for Ihe Crown was reduced to proving two simple facts, the death of .Mi's Alouat, and the killing by Alouat. There was no direct evidence on either point. When the woman entered her home on February 19th., she was alone with .Mount, and she had not been seen by anyone with Alouat since that time. From noon on February 20th., Mount, until a fortnight later, persistently and consistently made contradictory, lying state-, ments regarding the disappearance of his wife, in Ihe garden of his home were found 111 tell-tale human bones, which il was submitted were all that remained of the murdered woman. The crime could be reconstructed, but only imperfectly. Mount's method had been carried mu with skill and almost with complete success. Alouat had boon tripped up by an oversight. It was contended that the bones could not lie those of nnvbodv else hut Mrs Alouat. Mr Donnelly then detailed the evidence to he led. and concluded that, if the crime were committed in heal of argument, without premeditation, the crime was manslaughter, in the case, of murder llie jury if it considered pro-, per may acquit the accused on that, charge, and convict on a charge oi j manslaughter. If the jury in the pres-' enl case were satisfied that Alouat deliberately killed Airs Alouat it should convict of murder. II it took a more lenient view, and inferred that lie killed her but felt, that it would be unsafe to convict him of murder, il would lie warranted in convicting him of manslaughter. If the jury felt that tho Grown had failed, and that Lucre was a reasonable doubt as to whether Airs Alouat were dead or if she were dead, as to whether Alouat was criminally connected with her disappearance it, should acquit Alouat. t Professor (lowland was giving ex-1 pert evidence regarding the nature of the hones found, when the Court ad-, jonrned till to-morrow.