THE MUNN MURDER TRIAL

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4453, 17 May 1930, Page 3

THE MUNN MURDER TRIAL

Auelda ii d, Yesterday. Analysts and a doctor were the chief witnesses heard fo-dav in the trial of Arthur Thomas Munn for poisoning his wife. Tlie trial has lasted five days.

Evidence was given by F. \Y. G. Johnson, chemist. He said he supplied Munn with one drachm of strychnine on November 25 for the purpose of poisoning rats. He also supplied medicine i<> Airs Munn on Dr Dudding’s prescription. There was no possibility of strychnine entering- that- medicine. Kenneth Massey Griffin, Government Analyst, at Auckland, described the method of analysis adopted by him to extract poison from tissues of organs given him to test. William Donovan, Dominion Analyst, of Wellington, said that on April 2 he received from Griffin a sealed glass jar containing the balance of articles submitted to him bv Dr. Murray. He conducted a test for strychnine. .Tn tlie test strychnine definitely crystallised in one of ihe forms known. He could confidently sav from those tests that the residue was strvehnine. WI-TAT POST-MORTEM SHOWED A ipost-mortem examination which he had carried out on the body or Airs .Munn on February 13, was described by Dr D. N. W. Murray, of Auckland. Air Meredith. I understand the examination of the organs indicated nothing that would cause death”? Witness: There was no evidence of disease or of injury such ns would cause death. Continuing, witness said he had heard what Dr Budding and the women neighbours had said aboutAirs ALitmi's condition. Mr Meredith: Taking that with vour own observation and the analyst's report, wliai, in vour opinion, is ihe cause of death? —Strychnine poisoning. Any doubt about it”? —No. Witness said he was definitely of ilie opinion that there were separate doses of strychnine on the -lrti and Ulli. Air Meredith: Tn your opinion, had Airs Muwn had more than two doses of strychnine? —Yes. M’hal makes yon say tlial? —Beeanse on the stli she was seen by Mrs Gill and Airs Brown when she was afraid lo be touched and was ! witching. The same evening, if was slated, her nerves were I witching. On die 7ih she was very ill, nervous and twitching-and unable to gel out of lied. Again, on the 111(1), the statement was made that when a broom fell on the back verandah Mrs Ahum nearly jumped out of bed.

Would you expect, those conditions In luivc existed if no strychnine had been given afler ihe •Ith? —No.

Witness thoughi tin'll- on the Friday, All's Munn was in a state of exhaustion following 1 on n convulsion. Witness said there was nothing in the posl-niurfem to suggest blood pressure.