MURDER ALLEGED.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5084, 4 February 1927, Page 1

MURDER ALLEGED.

NW ZEALAND YOUTH CHARRED.

TRIAL AT EDINBURGH.

There were six women on the Jury empanelled at Edinburgh to try John Donald Merritt on a charge of murdering his mother, Mrs Bertha Merrett.

Mrs Merrett and hSr son came to Britain New Zealand '-|o conclude the education of the latter, a lad otf 19, for the diplomatic service. Young Merrett w r as arrested last December (eight months after his mother’s tragic death).

Accused appeared in the dock in an over;coa : t| and wearing horn-rimmed glasses. He pleaded not guilty. ’

Mrs Sutherland, the housemaid, gave evidence that, a’fter breakfast, she left Mrs Merrett writing in the sitting-room, wih the accused John reading. She heard a shot and a scream and a moment later John entered the kitchen and said, “Mother has shot herself."

John added that he had been wasting his mother’s money, and said he thought she was worried. Mrs Sutherland said she. found Mrs Merrett lying on the floor with a re? volver. She denied telling a detective she saw a revolver dialling 'from Mrs Merrett’s hand. Mrs Merrett, had told her she had had a hard life, losing her husband in the Russian revolution. She was devoted to her son John, and they apeared to be on the most affectionate terms.

Inspector Fleming read a statement by 'Mie accused declaring that his mother had complained that he was spending too much money and neglecting his studies. His mother was writing, he said, when he pointed out that she had wrongly addressed an envelope. She. said, "Go away, you bother me.”

“I went to the other side of the room to get my books," he said, “when I heard a report, and saw mother falling to the floor.” Inspector Fleming said Mrs. Merrett’s banking account was overdrawn. He questioned the accused regarding three cheques amounting to £457, dated after his mother’s admission to the hospital, and he, said his mother signed the cheques and he filled them in, which was the customary arrangement between them. Merrett is. also charged with forging his mother’s signature to cheques totalling £457.

He explained that he bought the revolver and 50 cartridges; for £5, intending to use it On his holidays in France,. His mother took the. revolver away and he never saw it

again. Fleming added that other cheques and counterfoils were missing. The hearing was, adjourned.

Mrs Merrett and her son came to New Zealand from Russia in 1920, and took up their residence in Havelock North. While residing they made many friends, and were both popular. Youifg Merrett attended the Waitaki Boys’ High School, where he had the requtation of being a venturesome youth, but was well liked. They booked their passages to England through a Dunedin firm about 18 months ago. In addition to the murder charge Merrett is also being indicted for uttering false cheques.