THE MUNN TRIAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 975, 19 May 1930, Page 10

THE MUNN TRIAL

(Continued from Page 1.) ip and there were some floral wreaths on It. The room, however, was not occupied. Munn stood between the bed and the duchess. His Honour: Had the funeral takem place?—No. but the body had been moved to the morgue that day. In a search, the detective-sergeant said, he looked on top of the duchess and in two small jewel drawers, and then opened the top drawer, which was two feet from the bedside. He tound nothing of moment in the jewel drawers. The top drawer of the duchess contained two suits of pyjamas, two shirts and some soft unironed collars. On lifting the collars, which were placed in an orderly circle, he noticed a small bottle labelled “poison.” His Honour: Was the bottle concealed by the collars?— Yes; I didn't see it until I lifted them. “Is this your drawer?” the detective asked. “Yes, that is mine, but X do not wear pyjamas; I cannot stand them.” replied Munn. When the detective lifted the bottle, Munn said: “That's it.” “How do you suggest the bottle got into the drawer?” the detective asked. “I don’t know. The last time I saw it was about a fortnight ago in the pantry,” replied Munn. The detective-sergeant carefully examined the bottle for finger-prints, but did not find any. There were a few small white crystals in the bottom of the bottle. They then returned to the kitchen and completed the statement. Six mouths ago, according to Munn's statement, he bought Is 6d worth of strychnine from Mr. Johnson, chemist, of Northeote, for poisoning rats. "About a month later I returned to the same chemist and told him the poison was a failure as the rats would not eat it,” he added. He said he had asked the chemist whether, if he treated the grain on which he had used almost half the strychnine, with ■syrup, it would be a success, and the chemist said “Yes.” Munn added he then informed the chemist he w anted to poison a cat and was given a small bottle of liquid poison, for which he paid Is. He gave the cat the lot by pouring it down its throat and killing it. He poisoned the animal because it was old and appeared sick. The bottle containing the balance of the strychnine, labelled “poison” was on the top shelf in the pantry, where he concealed it uuder a carton. Munn continued. He drew Mrs. Munn’s attention to the poison and told her what the bottle contained. The strychnine remained in that position to his knowledge, and he last saw- it ten days or a fortnight before his wife became ill. He added that he did not discover its disappearance from the pantry until the day when the deteci ives arrived. Munn said the bottle labelled “poison” found bj' DetectiveSergeant Doyle in the drawer of a chest alongside the bed in which Mrs. Munn died, was the one he had concealed in the pantry. The bottle was almost half-full when he last saw it in the pantry, but was now practically empty. He had no idea the poison "was in the bedroom until the detectives found it, he said. Munn stated he had used that drawer, in which he had his collars, during his wife's illness, but he had not noticed the poison. “WOULD SOONER DIE” The night before Mrs. Munn died she asked him to promise he would not allow her to go to hospital, Munn continued. Munn said his answer was that she need not go so far as he was concerned, but if the doctor ordered it she would have to go. “I would sooner die than go to hospital,” Mrs. Munn replied, according to the statement. He said he did not take his wife's statement seriously. The strychnine was in a paper piacket with a “poison” label when he purchased it, Munn said, and he transferred the poison and label to a bottle because he thought it safer. Continuing his evidence, the detec-tive-sergeant said no drawer in the nuchess. other than the one from which the poison was taken, contained any men’s under-clothing. Munn said the collars belonged to him. The medicine, “poison” and epsom salts were taken away by the detec-tive-sergeant, who handed them to the Government analyst next day. The inquiries were continued and the detectives again interviewed Munn t his house on February 15, when a turther statement was made by him. ASSISTED ABOARD in this second statement Munn said it is wife had always enjoyed good health until 12 months ago when she had a miscarriage. She was of a sentimental nature and worried over trifles. On the night of February Munn said, after he and his wife attended a city theatre, they had to i un to catch the boat, and Mrs. Munn was so exhausted she had to be assisted aboard- On reaching home Mrs. Munn appeared quite normal and she had a good night. Rising about 6 o’clock next morning Mrs. Munn had nothing to eat or drink until she became ill a little after T o'clock. After i xamjning Mrs. Munn in bed the doctor told her she would have to stay there a week and rest, and if she did not rest she would probably have to ro to hospital for six weeks. Mrs. Munn replied: “Oh! I'll stay in bed.” added Munn, who stated his wife had a. horror of hospitals, according to the statement. The night before her death Mrs. Munn was on her own. Munn said. He was working in his workshop until l a.m., but he frequently visited the house to see how his wife was, and he was never absent for more than half an hour at a time. On looking into the bedroom at 1 a.m. Munn said lie thought his wife was asleep. While he was preparing supper for himself Mrs. Munn called out to him to get her some. He got her some milk end water, and he believed she had some bread and butter. Munn said his wife woke him at 3 a.m.. and from then until 1 a.m. she appeared to be quite all right. As instructed by the doctor, he gave his wife a teaspoonful of epsom salts every morning. On the morning of February 11 he mixed the salts in the kitchen and took them to the bedroom, but he could not remember seeing her take them. Mrs. Munn, he said, appeared quite all right then, and was not hysterical or crying. After he had left the salts, his wife asked for orange juice, saying her mouth was very dry, and he gave her the juice in a cup with a spoon. She then asked him to stay with her. Munn said that at no time that morning was his wife crying or hysterical. Several times during her illness Mrs. Munn mentioned the change of life through which she thought she was passing. During her illness Munn said he •ugseslcd getting a nurse for her, but

his wife said she did not need one. So far as he knew, his wife had ! never vomited during her illness. On February 8, while in bed, his wife wrote a letter-card to her mother and she was then quite cheerful. The let- \ ter-card was written in pencil, and j he re-wrote the address in ink. The Saturday before his wife’s j death, said Munn, he was served with a civil court process, by which hi 3 j son claimed £25 from him. His wife | offered him her rings and jewellery if \ he desired to pay the money. Four i or five times during her illness he ! found that his wife had been out of j bed for short periods. The detective-sergeant asked Munn i how- he w-as going to look after the j two young children and if he intended j getting a housekeeper. “No damn housekeeper for me. I know too much about them,” replied Munn, according to witness. After further inquiries the detectivesergeant said he and detective Power interviewed Munn on March 8, about 12.30 p.m. Munn answered the back door. “We want to speak to you privately in the other room." said the detective-sergeant, who noticed Mrs. Stuck and the two children. “You’re here again,” said Munn. They passed into the sitting-room, where witness said to accused, “We have a very painful duty to perform. I have a warrant here for your arrest on a charge *f murder of your wife on February 11.” “What does this mean?” asked Munn. “It means you are now under arrest,” said the detective. “What, is the evidence like?” asked Munn, according to witness. "I cannot discuss the evidence with you,” the detective told Munn. “I told you I bought the poison, 1 called the doctor and did everything for the damn woman.” said Munn. “Can I get bail?” he asked, witness said. The detective told Munn the matter could be mentioned when he came before the court. “I am afraid this woman will not stay now,” said Munn, who asked if he could speak to Mrs. Stuck, but the detective refused permission. Accused was removed to the police station by the officers. The detective-sergeant said he found a book, “Dr. Chase's Combination Receipt Book,” in a bookcase in accused’s sitting room. Mr. Meredith: On this day did you find a small bottle? —Yes. I found this small bottle in the right-hand jev.-ei drawer, in the duchess. The detective here produced, a small pill bottle. “It was in the drawer nearest the bed,” he said. What was in the bottle?—There were two small pills. And the prescription is “one to be token twice daily after meals?” The chemist was “G. S. Shaw”? The name on the label was Miss Harvey?—Yes. And the two pills have been submitted to the analyst?—Yes. Where was Munn then?—-He had been removed to the Police Station. Was the pill bottle in the jewel drawer the day of your previous visit? —lt certainly was not. His Honour: When was your previous visit? —On February ' 1-2. So that between February 12 and March 8 this had been put in the jewel drawer? —Yes. What is significant about the book? Mr. Meredith: I will probably refer to it later. The detective-sergeant said there were no blinds in one bedroom on his first visit, but he noticed new blinds were up on March 8., New- linoleum had also been laid in the kitchen. “KNEW OF INQUIRIES” Cross-examined by Mr. Northcroft, witness said that when he and Detective Power visited accused, Munn knew the inquiries were'being made by the police. The question Munn asked about the doctor not giving a certificate was quite reasonable. Mr. Northcroft: You knew, then, that Mrs. Munn had died of strychnine poisoning?—No; I knew it was suspected. And you knew Dr. Dudding suspected it?—No. In telling Munn you didn't know why the doctor would not give a certificate, you were not quite candid?—l had not seen Dr. Dudding. But you had a shrewd suspicion of the reason?—l knew only what I was told. I suspected the doctor would not give the certificate, and I said that because I did not absolutely know the reason. What size teaspoon was shown you by Munn as that in which he gave his wife the salts?—l did not measure itMr. Northcroft: This is not an occasion to be funny. You were there as a trained observer. NOT MEANT AS JOKE His Honour commented that the detective did not mean his observation as a joke. The detective said that to the best of his knowledge the teaspoon was small. Mr. Northcroft: When you asked Munn if he had any strychnine, did he not answer promptly and not attempt evasion? —Yes. Did he get up and go to the pantry as though he expected to find the strychnine was there?—Yes. The detective said he was not suspicious of Munn, though he had the possibility in mind that accused might have been involved. Were the statements made by Munn written upon your questioning?—Yes. hen did you write down your report on the conversations with Munn? —On the way back on the boat that night. Did you and Power write out separate reports?—Yes. Did 3-0 U refer to each other?—Yes. Did you discuss the incidents as you wrote them down?—No, before writing them. Who suggested going to the bedroom after finding the strychnine was not. in the pantry?—Munn did. Are you sure about that?—Yes. 1 pt ess 3’ou because do 3'ou remember having a discussion with Mr. Bell, in which the finding of the bottle of str3 r c*hnine w-as mentioned?—No. Did he not repeat his version of the finding of the bottle of strychnine and did not j-ou say it was correct''— No. Did not you say to Mr. Beil that you suggested to Munn that they should look in the bedroom?—No. And did you uot tell Mr. Bell “that is correct”?—No; I regret to say he has made a great mistake. MODELS OF FURNITURE Small wooden models of a bed, wardrobe, and duchess were exhibited on counsel’s bench, to illustrate the positions in 3vhich Munn and the detectives stood in the bedroom when the search was made. The detective-sergeant said that v hen he searched the bedroom he was looking for poison. He said he was definite concerning the drawer in which the “poison” bottle was found and the contents of the jewel drawers. He agreed that some of the other drawers might have contained men's underclothing, though he did not see it. The detective was closely qu.es-

tioned concerning the contents of the other drawers. Pie said that he had been looking for something likely to cause death, and had not examined the articles in the other drawers ( minutely.