FAMILY GASSED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 713, 13 December 1933, Page 5

FAMILY GASSED

(Press Assn.-

christchurch case MERRIMAN CHARGED WITH MURDER OF HIS WIFE i AND CHILDREN preliminary hearing

-By Telegraph— Copyright).

Christchurch, Monday. Before the - magistrate, Mr. Mosley, this morning, Reginald John Merriman (32), motor driver, faced a charge of murdering his wife, Eliza-r beth Jane Merriman, and his three children, on or about November 14, at Kerr's Road, Wainoni. •••*- . Witnesses described how they found Merriman's three children dead, gassed in the kitchen, and his wife dead in a bedroom. Dr. Sheffield gave evidence that when he was taken to the house he saw in the kitchen three children and a man lying on a mattress. The man was still breathing, but was unconscious. Later he was taken to the hospital. Witness made a superficial examination of the wonifin in one of tbe bedrooms. Her body was cold, much eolder than those of the two girls. The boy's left shoulder Was slightly warm. There was a rubber tube connected to a gas stoVe above the bed with a piece of string. The gas had been turned off when witness arriVed, but the whole hduse reeked of gas. He saw no external marks of violence on Mrs. Merriman's body, but did not examine her closely. A Neighbour's Experience George Burton,- a neighbour, said he felt disturbed on the morning of the tragedy because on previous occasions he had heard the Merrimans quarrelling. He and another neighbour hammered at the door, but no one answered. By looking through the blind they saw Mrs. Merriman in bed. It was 9.20 when he first went to the house. After further inquiries he rang the police. The police did not arrive for two hours after that, said witness. When he got in the house there was no smell of gas except in the kitchen. At 12.45 a policeman from New Brighton arfived. He looked at his iVatch, and said, " A quarter to one. Am I the only one here?" Later a number of police arrived. Frederick Arthur Baker, supervisor of the Post "and Telegraph Department, said that for two weeks previous to the tragedy Merriman appeared very worried. His personal appearance fell away. . -• ' Domestie Quarrels Emma Elizabeth Wilson, married, of Opawa, said Merriman came to her house on November 13. She. said, "What are you doing here?" Merriman replied, "Looking for board, auntie. I've been kicked out to-day and I've got to find lodgirigs." He added that tliings had become so bad that he did not know whether .they could live on together at home. They had been rowing and he was worried about the children. The Third Party Henry Eawin Crowhen, single, a motor mechanic, said that he' had known the accused and his wife intimately. On November 12 he had called at Merriman's house when Merriman said that he had something to say to witness. "Say it in front of me," his wife had said. Merriman then said that he had nothing to say. To Mr. Thomas, witness said that he had enjoyed the hospitality ' of Merriman and his wife. Mr. Thomas : Did you return the trust that Merriman placed in Yotf?' Witness (after hesitation) : No. Did you begin a course of meetings with Mrs. Merriman unknown to the husband? Yes. Did you sometimes have intercourse with her? Yes. Did Mrs. Merriman say in July, 1932, that she would seek a divorce? Yes. When Mrs. Merriman went to Cambridge Terrace, did you visit her? Yes. Did she not go back to her husband to save you your job in case ybu were named as co-respondent? She might have put it that way. Is it not true that some weeks before the tragedy Mrs. Merriman spoke of suicide? Reg. told me so. Do you feel perfectly insiocent of any responsibility for this murder? I am indirectly responsible. " The Wife's Body Dr. A. B. Pearson, pathologist, said that an examination of the bodies of the children showed no external marks of violence but on the body of Mrs. Merriman, there W£ts a large recent bruise on the lfeft temple and a minor abrasion on the forehead, together with a cluster of abrasions on the right side of the neck. In a post-mortem examination he had found a fracture of the bone at the base of the tongue which was certainly caused by violence. The mother died first and the children afterwards hetween the hours of 10 o'clock on the night of November 14, and- 3 o'Clock in the morning of November 15. The cause of the death was poisoning from coal gas. Statements to Detective Detective Duncan McKenzie gave evidence of Merriman's statements while in hospital. Crowhen said accused had visited the house several times uninvited and the result had been quarrels with his wife. Merriman said that he had repeatedly told her that unless Crowhen stopped his visits there would he an end to it in some way. On several occasions she had said that she wanted a divorfce and on some occasions a separation. Once she had packed her effects and left home with her children, but eventually she had returned and later had gone with the children to the Chatham Islands, saying that Crowhen had given her £15 for the fare. On her return, their relations wfefe friendly, but Crowhen had come again and his wife had suggested that he (Merriman) should leave home allowing her £2 weekly. There were other quarrels as a result of this. ' Merriman was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.