Widow Tells Her Story

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 936, 1 April 1930, Page 7

Widow Tells Her Story

RELATIONSHIP WITH MUNN

Northcote Murder Charge TIIE story of her meeting in October last through a matrimonial advertisement with Arthur Thomas Munn, and how she became his housekeeper after his wife’s death, was unfolded in the Police Court yesterday by Georgina Alberta Emily Stuck. She swore she recognised in Munn the man with whom she became acquainted under the name of “Arthur Thomas,” at the time of the Christchurch Exhibition.

Mrs. Stuck was one ot the principal I witnesses against Munn, who is on trial charged with murdering his wife, I Lillie May Munn, at Northcote, on j February 11. Mr. Meredith pros'ecuted and Mr. E. 11. Northcroft appeared for accused. The dead woman was a war widow before she was married to Munn on March 12, 1920, according to her mother, Mrs. Sarah Lillie Campbell, of Wellington. A letter-card, the last received from her daughter, was produced. In this Mrs. Munn wrote on February 9 that after she came over queer on Tuesday, a doctor was called in and took a blood specimen. She thought she was suffering from blood j pressure and nerve trouble, and added | that her husband was goodness itself ! to her, looking after her wonderfully ! well. WANTED A FRIEND Mrs. Georgina Alberta Emily Stuck, a widow, living at 9 Ayr Street, Parnell, said that on answering the matrimonial advertisement in October last, she received a reply signed “Arthur Thomas,” who made an appointment to meet her in Parnell Road about 3 o’clock on a Wednesday. She was there at the appointed time and she was met by Munn. In the letter, Munn had stated he would be recognised by having a paper in his hand. Munn said he had had numerous answers to his advertisement from all parts and from as far away as Te Kuiti. On the occasion of this meeting she recognised in Munn the man she had met years ago in Christchurch. Munn drove up in his car and she went for a ride with him over the Maugere bridge. Finally, Munn pulled up on the roadside, where they sat talking. Munn said he wanted a friend. He brought a block of chocolate with him, and she was in his company about an hour. Mr. Meredith: Did you ask him about himself that day?—No. What was the conversation?—We were just talking about things in general. After the return journey Munn dropped her at the spot where they had met. Later he wrote asking her to meet him again at the same place on Wednesday of the following week about 3 o’clock He met her as arranged and he drove her to the same place. “I asked Munn if he was married, and he admitted he was,” said witness. “I then asked him his name, and said that Arthur Thomas was not his real name. Fie told me his full name as ‘Arthur Thomas Munn.’ I said I thought I knew him, and after talking a while I found I had met him in Christchurch,” continued witness. “It cannot go on,” she told Munn, referring to the fact he was married, because she did not like to come between husband and wife. They had tea together at Dominion Road and then drove to a road in Mount Eden, where they sat in the car. He dropped her later and went to catch a boat home. Munn wrote her again, she said, urging her to meet him at Milford on Labour Day. She joined him on that afternoon near the Pirate Shippe, but remained with him for only three to five minutes. She was accompanied by her brother and his wife on that I occasion. That night Munn, in accordance with an arrangement made earlier in the day, met her on the city side, and accompanied her to Northcote. They went for a drive along Takapuna Road and after turning off the main route, the car was pulled up | on the roadside. In conversation, witness announced to Munn she did not wish their relationship to continue. Munn wanted to know if she would still go on being a friend to him. She promised to do so. MEETINGS WITH MUNN Between the time of her meeting with accused and Christmas, witness was visited in Auckland each Monday morning and on Saturday afternoons. He visited her home with the car on these occasions and they invariably went for a drive. Munn returned to Northcote by the 10.50 ferry. On Monday mornings Munn stayed for morning tea. He wrote to her once weekly and she usually received letters on Wednesday. The communications were only friendly and were signed “Yours truly, Arthur.” He had never given her any presents while in Ayr Street. About a fortnight or three weeks before Christmas witness went to Parnell Road to live. She had taken a flat and Munn’s visits were discontinued. Witness’s daughter was living with her. Munn had given her a seagrass chair, some vegetables and some fruit. On January 31 she left Parnell Road, going to Christchurch. She left Parnell Road on a Thursday and stayed one night at the Y.W.C.A. and left for Christchurch on January 31. Munn saw her off at the station when she left for Christchurch. She had travelled alone. Witness had left Auckland indefinitely, and Munn did not know how long she was going to stay. Witness had told Munn on one of his visits of the night of her departure, but had not been able to tell him of the length of her stay in the South. He had said: "You will return sometime, I suppose.” and she had replied: “I hope so.” Witness had not anticipated coming back, but it had been arranged that she should write to Munn, addressing her letters to “Arthur Thomas, Takapuna Post Office.” Witness could not remember who had suggested the address Munn’s letters to her were to be addressed care of the Christchurch Post Office. . As far as she could remember she had written about two letters. SENT HER MONEY-ORDER A telegram received from Munn, Mrs Stuck said, was about his wife it had beeu dated February 4 and read “Wife had stroke this morning,— , writing.—Arthur. Witness had replied to the telegram wiring him on the same day: "Verv sorry missed mail all being altered" here —can you please wire me today or Thursday, care of Post Office, £sfl t wo letters Thursday for you—-

received wire—sympathy—l want to return —lonely —love. —Georgie.” She received a money order telegram from Munn for £5. This message contained in it the following words: “Wondering what has hap- j pened—Arthur.” Witness cashed the money order, using the £5 to pay her fare back to Auckland, leaving either that night or the following morning. On the express on- the way to Auckland she wired Munn from Marton: “Arriving Auckland 6.30 tomorrow morning—Georgie.” Fler brother and daughter greeted her at the station, but Munn was not present, the telegram not having reached him in time. She went to the Y.W.C.A., and during that morning, she met Munn in Queen Street and together they drove to the Young Women’s Catholic Hostel in Symonds Street. “I asked Mulin' what was wrong with his wife, and lie said he did not know,” said witness. He said his wife was preparing a meal when she took ill, and he thought she was fainting. He helped her to a chair, as she would have fallen otherwise. He later telephoned her stating he would take witness to show her St. Peter’s Training College, where, she had applied for a position. Munn was aware that she was to be given the job. He drove witness and her daughter to the college gate, and after a short spin they alighted and Munn drove off. Her daughter went back: to the City and witness remained at Northcote, meeting Munn about 8 p.m. and accompanying him on a drive along Takapuna Road. Sitting in the car on the roadside, they stayed there for about an hour. Munn told witness and her daughter he was not satisfied with his wife’s progress. PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE On Monday witness had seen Munn, when he had taken her and her luggage from the Y.W.C.A. Hostel to the College. They had arrived at the College about 11.30. On either Sunday or Monday, he had said his wife was very depressed and was asking not to be sent to the hospital. He had spoken of calling in another doctor. On Monday witness had started her duties at the College and she met Munn about seven the next evening. He had called at the College and she answered the door. She had not known that he was coming. “X spoke to him and he did not reply,” Mrs. Struck continued. “I looked at his face and asked him what was wrong. He broke down and said his wife was gone. I replied ‘Don’t tell me- that,’ ” Munn had stayed only seven or eight minutes and witness had next seen him on Thursday at the College. He had arrived in the evening about the same time and witness had gone with him to his home to see the children. At the College Munn had said that his wife’s people wanted to take the children, but he wanted to keep them. He had asked her to keep house for him and she had consented, reminding him that she would have to give a week’s notice at the College. After leaving the house they had returned to the college. Witness was not aware there had been an inquest until the following Saturday, or it might have been Thursday. It was on the Saturday that witness had gone to keep house for Munn. She had been told at the college that she could leave at once, as Munn had two children and would require her at once. Munn had taken her in the car to Northcote and her daughter had come over to help with the shifting. Witness said Munn had told her there had been an inquest into the death of his wife. Munn said: “She must have taken her own life.” Witness asked whether a doctor had attended Mrs. Munn on the day of her death, and he replied, “Yes, twice.” The witness stated she remained as housekeeper for Munn for three weeks. Munn asked me, for the sake of the children, would she not think of marrying him. Witness said “No,” saying her first marriage was unsuccessful, and she wished him to see other women before deciding on her. Munn thereupon said he would leave the matter until the inquest was over. BUY HER WEDDING RING About a week before his arrest Munn inquired what became of her first wedding ring, which she was not wearing, and she produced it for him. He took it from her, saving he would keep it until he bought her one himself. He had never expressed his feelings toward her, beyond saying he thought enough of her to marry her. Witness stated that she had given Munn a Persian cat and pot plants, when she broke up her flat about the end of January. During the time witness was housekeeper, Munn occupied the double bed his wife had slept in. After she went there new blinds and linoleum for the kitchen were installed in the house, witness choosing the floor j covering. Medical witnesses were brought into the Court to' hear the testimony of ! Mrs. Lydia Gill, Northcote. She I tenanted a flat she rented from accused and which was situated under I the house occupied by Munn and his ! w; . She had lived there since June. I At the bottom of the yard there was J a workshop in which Munn was en- ! g ed during the day. Witness stated j that Mrs. Munn was usually at home, j The day prior to her illness, Mrs. Munn washed and seemed quite all right. Next morning witness had a conversation with Mrs. Munn in the yard. Witness asked her if she was tired and Mrs. Munn stated she had a slight headache but it would pass off. The little girl Munn came down to ask witness to go up to her mother, who was ill and frightened. When witness went in there were just the children and Mrs. Munn present. Munn had gone for the doctor. Mrs. Munn was leaning back in a chair with her arms hanging down on either side and she was gripping the sides of the chair. Her head was resting back and she was twitching and drawing her legs up. Her mouth was parched and drawn; her eyes were half-closed, but she was con-

icious. She asked witness if she knew what was the matter with her and whether she had seen anyone like that before. When witness had said “No,” Mrs. Munn was very worried and said she had never been like that before. At the request of Mr. Meredith, witness demonstrated in the court how she had found Mrs. Munn in the j chair. “I’M FRIGHTENED” Mrs. Munn asked several times whether witness had ever seen anyone in that state, remarking that she never had herself. Witness offered to get a drink of water, hut Mrs. Munn said “Don’t leave me, don’t leave me. I’m frightened.” Witness had not left her, but touched her as she wanted to lift her to a sitting position in the chair, j When witness touched her Mrs. Munn said “Don’t, you’re hurting me,” and shouted as if she were in pain. Witness had tried different ways to ease her position, but each time Mrs. Munn said she had no power in her legs and that witness was hurting her. “I don’t know whether you’re hurting me, but I’m sore. I feel queer,” Mrs. Munn had said. She had seemed powerless and witness could not shift her. She had been still in the same position when Munn returned and he had said he did not know what was wrong, but that the doctor would soon arrive. Witness had suggested putting Mrs. Munn to bed and, with Munn, had carried her to the bedroom. Witness noticed that Mrs. Munn’s legs were stiff. She had cried out with pain when she was being carried. Witness could feel the twitching and the drawing up of the legs as she carried the woman. Removing her shoes and loosening her corsets, witness put her to bed. She could not undress her, as Mrs. Munn said it hurt her too much. Witness suggested to Munn that his wife should be given a drink and he brought her a cup of tea. “She lifted her head, but could not open her mouth and the tea just ran down her chin,” witness added. “No, I don’t want it,” Mrs. Munn said. When gentle efforts were made by accused to arrange the pillows, Mrs. Munn cried: “Don’t! Don’t! That hurts.” The doctor did not arrive before witness left, after making Mrs. Munn as comfortable as possible. Her condition was about the same, though she was "more comfortable than she was on the chair. That afternoon, between 3 aud 4 o’clock, witness again saw Mrs. Munn in bed. Mrs. Munn seemed very comfortable, but a “bit twitchy.” She said the doctor had visited her and had taken a blood test. Next day Mrs. Munn said the doctor thought she had kidney trouble, and that she must be kept very quiet and have no visitors. When witness put her hand on the bed near Mrs. Munn’s feet, the woman cried out that she could not hear anything touching the bed and felt all nerves. MRS. MUNN’S DEATH The next Friday witness looked in the winddw and to her Mrs. Munn seemed very ill and quite different from when seh had seen her previously. When witness asked, “What’s the matter. I didn’t know there was a change like this,” Mrs. Munn replied: “Don’t worry me, I’m ill,'” at the same time moving her head on the pillow. Mrs. Mum said she had had another bad turn, but did not mention the time. The morning of Mrs. Munn’s death, witness heard her crying as though in pain, at about 5.40 o’clock. The cries lasted until 8 o’clock, when she seemed to be worn out. In her opinion the crying was that of a person in pain. At the time she heard footsteps as though Munn was walking round. About 8.30 he came down and asked her to go for a doctor, and this she did. When she remarked to accused on hearing Mrs., Munn crying, he replied that his wife had had another bad turn, and had not been able to get her breath. She had got out of bed and he could not get her hack. Mrs. Munn had a bright disposition, though highly strung. She, however, idolised her children and her husband. The witness stated that she had i never experienced trouble with rats in her flat, but there had been trouble with these rodents in the henhouse. Munn had never mentioned rats to witness, but Mrs. Munn had said a rat had got in among the hens. That was why they had so many cats. Witness said the Munn family had owned about six cats all the time she had known them.