RUSDEN MURDER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26622, 19 November 1947, Page 6

RUSDEN MURDER

Evidence Given by Victim’s Husband

LENGTHY CROSS-EXAMINATION

P-A. AUCKLAND, Nov. 18. The evidence and cross-examination of the murdered woman’s hus- , band occupied almost the full day when the trial of Mrs Pansy Louise Frances Haskell, aged 49, a domestic, was continued before Mr Justice Callan in the Supreme Court. The accused pleaded not guilty to a charge of murdering Mrs Gladys Ruth Rusden at her home at 37 Horotutu road, One Tree Hill, on June 5. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr V. R. Meredith, completed his opening submissions when the court resumed. The jury had previously inspected the scene of the tragedy and the house in Newton., occupied by the accused. The evidence of the husband, Richard Alfred Rusden, was not completed until after the luncheon adjournment, and the senior defence counsel, Mr M. Robinson, spent two hours or\ his cross-examina-tion. The only other witness heard was a 13-year-old boy who' claimed to have seen a woman who he believed was Mrs Rusden through the window of her home at about 8.30 on the morning of her death.

Mr Meredith said that to enter Mrs Rusden’s home unawares required a key. Haskell had one. Haskell had openly and repeatedly expressed her hatred of Mrs Rusden and the desire for her death. Haskell had previously attempted to arrange Mrs Rusden’s destruction. _ Mr Meredith added that, if two witnesses were correct, Haskell was lin the vicinity of the scene of the murder at the crucial time. She was seen leaving the vicinity disguised as a man, and with a white face which was the possible result of mental reaction after a storm of passion, and just after the probable time of the murder. Added to this was the burning of rubbish in Haskell’s backyard, and her later attempted suicide while the police were inquiring. After formal evidence, Richard Alfred Rusden, husband of the murdered woman, entered the box. He began his testimony with his hands in his pockets, but withdrew them when the judge rfmarked, “It may be nervousness, but it is hardly a right thing to stand with your hands in your pockets.” Wife Informed of Misconduct Rusden said he had first met Mrs Haskell two or three years ago. She was then Mrs Frost and living a! Howick, though not with her husband. Relations with his wife up to then had been friendly. Illicit conduct between him and Mrs Haskell started at Howick, and later continued at Liberty House, in Queen street. His wife first got to know of this through receiving an anonymous letter. When he told Mrs Haskell he was making put an agreement to transfer his property to his wife she “nearly went mad.” He lent Mrs Haskell £l5O. Mrs Haskell offered his wife money to divorce him. His wife was horrified when Mrs Haskell told her they had had illicit relations. Witness added that he and Mrs Haskell left together, and he stayed with her at Liberty House. At the end qf the week he returned to his home His wife agreed to take him back When his wife was to have an operation early this year Mrs Haskell said she hoped she “ would never come out of the chloroform.” Witness said he was in camp when his wife was assaulted one night. He did not know - the man named Rix. When Mrs Haskell was living at Newton road she asked him to go and live with her He told her he would never break up his home, and later told her he would not live with her if she were the last woman in the world. “She told me she had a good mind to kill me for saying that,” witness added. He last saw Mrs Haskell the night before the tragedy. He told her he would not ' yield to her request and that he was quite happy at home. He had lost the key to his front door, and Mrs Haskell denied that she had seen it. Witness denied he had ever threatened to cut his wife’s throat. He had never said anything abont giving her sleeping tablets or placing a pillow over her head to smother her. On the morning ’of the tragedy his wife was well and in good spirits. He left home at 7 a.m., clocking in at the brewery where he was employed between 7.35 a.m. and 7.40 a.m. He returned home at 5.20 p.m. Witness described the discovery of his wife’s body in his kitchenette on returning from work on the evening , of June 5. Cross-examined by Mr Robinson, witness said he was given two keys to the front door when he first went into the house at Horotutu road. His wife kept one and the other ,he lost about July, 1946. He spent about half his off duty time from the Cornwall Park camp with his wife and half with the accused. He had never mentioned to the accused that he was not happy with his wife. Mr. Robinson: Could it be inferred that you were separated?—Witness: It could be, but the accused knew all along that I was not parted from my wife. Other Women i Mr Robinson: Since 1938 there have always been other women., in your life. —Not always. Mrißobinson: Was there any discussion between you and your wife toward the end of 1944 about divorce?— No, we had never discussed divorce in our home.,.' Witness said he had at no time said that he wished to marry the accused. Mr Robinson: Did not the accused ' suggest that ybur affaii should come to an end?—No. not at any time. Witness said it bad been his suggestion that the association should come to an end, but he had no option at that time but to carry on with it. The accused had never told him to go back to his wife. The accused had been very persistent and would not leave him alone. “It was one of the accused’s threats that if I did • not see her she would tell my wife about us,” continued . witness. "I did everything in my power to-make my wife happy.' It was unwise to keep up this association, but what would anybody dc under the circumstances? I was 'ever afraid of the accused, but I was afraid of her worrying my wife.” Lionel John Peter Flashman, aged 13 who lived opposite the Rusden house, said he was returning from mass at the Ellerslie Catholic Church between 8.25 , a.m. and 8.30 a.m. on the day of the murder. He glanced over at the Rusden house and saw the bead and shoulders of a woman with her back to one of the windows She was wearing a red dress. He thought it was Mrs Rusden. . To Mr Robinson, witness said he knew it was a woman . He saw her hair It looked as if she might have been smoking by the wav she was standing. ... . The court adjourned until to-mor-row.