MUNN ON TRIAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 969, 12 May 1930, Page 10

MUNN ON TRIAL

CASE CONTINUED THIS AFTERNOON (Continued from Page 1.) The crowd was lined up six deep from the court-room door to the main entrance this afternoon, and the open-' ins of the doors was marked by an unseemly rush for places at the bar of the gallery. At the request of Mr. Northcroft the accused was granted permission to be seated throughout the trial. The Crown Prosecutor stated the evidence of the children of the first marriage would show there had been a feeling of hostility, and even cruelty! my Munn toward the dead woman. j Mr. Meredith then directed attention to a remarkable advertisement in ' an Auckland paper, inserted by Munn,! although the words “view matrimony”) were not contained in the original j message, but were put in at the re- i quest of the newspaper clerk. The advertisement was signed j Munn, Northcote. “Here you have a man living under Buch conditions and now seeking to get in touch with another woman,” said Mr. Meredith. Among many women who answered the advertisement was Mrs. Stuck, who received a reply signed “Arthur Thomas,” which were accused's Christian names. An appointment was made, and Mrs. Stuck met the accused by a prearranged signal and went on a motor drive with him to Mangere. In conversation Munn told her he wanted a friend, but did not give a reason, and also his name was “Arthur Thomas.” He wrote to her and again she met him. There was also a startling sequence <-!' events. On November 25, a little more than a month after his meeting Mrs. Stuck, he purchased strychnine, and on December 24 Mrs. Munn gave instructions to have her will prepared, leaving everything to Munn. He was also appointed sole executor. The property was not of great value, but. the transfer to Munn ensured the children would have no rights, and ensured accused retaining the home and his workshop. It might be suggested that as the poison was bought openly, the act was innocent. but counsel pointed out that it would have been foolish for accused to have bought under an assumed name. Mrs. Stuck later left for Christchurch. Before she left she gave Munn certain things she had had In her flat—a Persian cat, chairs and a I or, plant. Arrangements were made between them to carry on correspondence. She was to write to him as “Arthur Thomas, Takapuna,” while her address was Mrs. F. Stuck, care G.P.0.. Christchurch. Immediately after Mrs. Stuck's departure there was a remarkable change on the part of Munn to his wife. He took her and the children to Murray’s Beach in the car. Mrs. Munn was pleased with the treatment her husband was now giving her. In a letter to her mother she described happily the visit to the beach. She told her some friends of Munn had given him some beautiful pot. plants and a pretty cat. Incidentally Mrs. Munn mentioned that she and the children were In good health. After the first meeting others took place regularly for a period of five months, Mr. Meredith went on. On the second occasion they met, Mrs. Stuck, believing that “Arthur Thomas” was not accused’s real name, asked what it was. She also believed he was married. Munn replied that he was in fact married and that his name was “Arthur Thomas” Munn. Mrs. Stuck told him that, she had no wish to come between husband and wife. Munn remarked that his wife had lost all interest in the home and

that he wanted a friend. The woman answered that she would think it over. From then on regular clandestine meetings took place. “There are two significant facts,” said Mr. Meredith. “Mrs. Stuck left for Christchurch on January 31, and Mrs. Munn apparently received the first dose of strychnine four days after this event.” (Proceeding.)