NORTHCOTE CASE OPENS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 935, 31 March 1930, Page 1

NORTHCOTE CASE OPENS

MYSTERY OF WOMAN’S DEATH

HEARING BEGINS IN CROWDED COURT THE veil of secrecy over police investigations into the Northcote drama was lifted today, when the case for the Crown against Arthur Thomas Munn, charged with wifemurder, was commenced at the Police Court. Intense public interest was manifested in the case, the gallery being crowded to the utmost, and there was an air of suppressed excitement as the accused stepped into the dock. Part of the testimony this morning was that of the accused man’s son by the first marriage. He swore to incidents of ill-treatment by Munn toward his wife. Thirty witnesses are to be examined, and the hearing is expected to extend fully two days.

Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., who was on | the Bench, heard the notice prosecution and the depositions on the in- j quest together. Mr. V. R. Meredith prosecuted, and Mr. K. 11. Northcroft. instructed by dessrs. Bell and Speight, represented | the accused. Tall and with a bushy head ol' greying hair, and dressed in a navy blue suit, Munn was a striking figure when lie entered the dock. He was charged at Northcote on February 11, 1930, with murdering Lillie May Munn. The evidence proceeded immediately. A sudden illness overtook Mrs. Munn while she was preparing breakfast on February 4. Dr. R. G. Dudding was called in to attend her, and she was confined to bed, during which the doctor attended her several times up till February 11. Summoned to the house at 10 o'clock that morning the doctor left after attending the patient. An hour and a-half later Mrs. Munn was dead. The doctor withheld a certificate of death, and next day he informed the police of his decision, and the body was removed to the morgue that evening. The police were granted time to pursue investigations the next day, after Munn had given formal identification evidence at the opening of the inquest. An analytical examination of the woman’s stomach was made by ihe Government analyst, whose report, according to the police, referred to finding traces of poison. The sensational arrest of Munn on a charge of murder, at his home. 33 Richmond Avenue, Northcote, followed on a Saturday afternoou, March 8. Detective-Sergeant Doyle and Acting-Detective Power took him into custody. The accused man, who is 45 years of age, and a wicker-worker by trade, married hie wife, then Mrs. Westoby, a war widow, at Greytown, in the Carterton district. Munn was divorced from his first wife, by whom he had three children, and had two daughters, aged eight and five, by his second wife. On settling in Birkenhead eight years ago. he took a keen interest in local body affairs, and served for two years from 1927 as a member of the Xorthcote Borough Council. He was prominently associated with the North Shore Bxpansion League and was now secretary of the Nortlicote Bridge Committee. For some time he was conuected with the Methodist Church, hut latterly he became a Seventh Day Adventist. A draughtsman in the employ of the Public Works Department, Reginald Walter Hugo Riddle, said he had visited No. 33 Richmond Avenue, Xorthcote. on March 10. He had been accompanied by Detective-Sergeant Doyle and Acting-Detective Power. Witness had prepared a plan of the house (produced). Witness described the house. WOMAN'S MOTHER GIVES EVIDENCE The dead woman’s mother, Mr 3. Sarah Lillie Campbell, of Constable Street, Wellington, gave her evidence from a chair on the floor of the Court. She said her daughter was born in Wellington on October IS, 18S6. In November, 1917, her daughter married Mr. Westoby, who travelled on a hospital ship, but died from pneumonia on the trip to England. There were no children of the marriage. On March 12, 1920, she was married to Albert Thomas Munn, a copy of a marriage certificate showing accused to be divorced. The ceremony was solemnised at Greytown. A little later Munn and his wife moved to Northcote. There were two little girls of this marriage, aged nine and five. The last letter witness received from her daughter before lier death was a letter card, dated February 9. “I can only write a note to you, as I am lying in bed.” the letter stated. “I came over very queer last Tuesday morning and Arthur went aiul got me a doctor. He was here a very long time and stuck a needle into my arm and drew off blood, which he took away for test. It is blood poisoning and nerve trouble, I think, although tlie doctor or Arthur has not told me.

“Arthur is just goodness itself and is looking after me wonderfully well. I don’t want you to worry, because I hope to be better again soon. . . Don’t go and tell Auntie and Company, because they are not allowed to come

and excite me.” A letter dated February 3 referred to general news and tbe happenings in the home. On the day before writing the family had been out in tbe car to Murray’s Reach. “Arthur did not go to town. This morning be came up and brought me my breakfast into bed. a thing I never liave only when sick; but it was nice having a bit longer to rest." the letter continued. It was stated that Munn had brought home pot plants and a Persian ea . All members of the family were well.

At the time of marriage. Mrs. Munn had about £100,” said witness. “My daughter hau a lovely disposition, cheerful and bright,” she concluded. Questioned by Mr. Northcroft, Mrs. WniDbcll said that it was possible

she had kept letters written from he: daughter, written in 1928-29. MUNN’S SON IN THE BOX

Oliver Arthur Herbert Munn, a seagrass worker, of 94 Grafton Road, said Arthur Thomas Munn was his father. He had been living with his father up till a year ago. Witness said he was a son by Munn’s first marriage and had been living with his father at the time of the second marriage. “It was not of the best,” said witness, questioned by Mr. Meredith regarding Munn’s behaviour to his second wife. It was usual for him to speak abusively to her, and witness had seen him strike her. On one occasion It had become so bad after a quarrel over something trivial that Munn had thrown a plate of food at his wife. Munn would threaten his wife and strike her, and witness had seen her fall as the result of a push from Munn’s open hand. “Often he would get in a temper and knock and push her about,” said witness.

Munn had not behaved in the same manner toward other members of the family, though he would lecture them and try to over-rule them. Sometimes Mrs. Munn would be pushed off a chair. She would have given some slight provocation such as not cleaning his suit when he wanted it; but she had never said anything rude to him. Witness had heard the woman crying after being lectured by Munn for half an hour after they had gone to bed. Witness had not been able to distinguish the words. That might happen twice a week.

“She was always meek and mild and ready to make up these quarrels. She always tried to keep the peace at home for the sake of her children,” said witness. “She always went round bright and cheerful and met trouble with a smile. Her general health was good.” Munn had run the house, deciding what food was to be brought in. Mrs. Munn had consulted him about what food was to be provided for various meals and he would give her the money to purchase it at the shops. When they first went to the Northcote house, nine years ago. they were troubled with rats; but before witness left in the first place traps had been set and poison bought from the borough council. A daughter of the accused by the first marriage, Dorothy Ida Munn, -who is now living with her mother, said that she lived with her father and stepmother at Northcote for some time. Three years ago she left there. “Munn was very cruel to his wife, abusive to her, and on two occasions struck her twice,” said witness. On one occasion when they were coming down the passage Munn struck her a hard, severe blow on the back with his clenched hand, knocking her.down. Another time, when Mrs. Munn was stirring jam, accused took the jam stick from her and hit her heavily with the hot end of It. “Mrs. Munn always did what she possibly could for him,” said witness, who said she believed the dead woman was afraid of her husband. “I left home because my father was eruSl to me,” she declared. The last time she had a week-end off he threatened that unless she came home every week-end she had off he would put the police on to her. She refused to obey him and got into touch with her mother by advertising for her. Mavis Leone Munn, aged 17. also a daughter of accused, said she had lived with him at Northcote, leaving j him about three years ago. Dorothy i Munn had left Northcote about two I months before witness followed her, j to live with her mother, Munn’s first j wife, at Mount Eden. When her I parents were divorced, witness had just been born. I “He treated her with no respect j whatever,” declared witness, referring !to Munn’s treatment of his second ! wife. “He also spoke to her roughly.” | Witness had never seen Munn strike j her, but she had seen him chase her i into the bedroom, where she had tried jto barricade the door. Munn had j pushed on the door, and called out ! roughly to her. The man’s behaviour I toward his wife had never altered. "1 ! left because he told me to clear out. ! so I returned to my own mother,” said witness. “I often saw my stepmother crying.”

Robert Rowan Bell, solicitor, of Auckland, stated he had acted for both the de-ad woman and accused. On September 30, 1929, he first performed a service for Mrs. Munn in connection with some property at Northcote. On December 24, 1929, he received a letter from her instructing him to prepare a will, leaving everything to her husbaud, and appointing him as sole trustee, and asking for notification when the document would be ready for signature. After preparing the document, he advised Mrs. Munn that it was ready, and she came in and signed it on January 9. At that time Mrs. Munn looked to be in the same health as he had previously seen her. as was also lien general demeanour <Continu«d*on Pag* 12)