BARRAGE OF QUESTIONS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 978, 22 May 1930, Page 1

BARRAGE OF QUESTIONS

Cross-Examination of Munn MANY HOURS IN WITNESS-BOX Tenth Day of Murder Trial A GRUELLING cross-examination to which Arthur Thomas Munn, on trial on a charge of wife-murder, was subjected in the witness-box by the Crown Prosecutor, was a feature of the tenth day of the hearing in the Supreme Court today. Intense interest by the public in the hearing was reflected in the crowded galleries.

Mr. Justice Herdman was on the Bench. Mr. V. R. Meredith and Mr. McCarthy conducted the Crown case and Mr. E. H. Northcroft and Mr. Munro represented the accused. The examination of Munn was continued this morning. Mr. Northcroft: When the police officers came they told you they wanted to make inquiries?—Yes. The detectives told him also the doctor would not give a certificate. He was asked if he had bought any poison and he told the detectives he purchased poison to kill rats infesting the fowlyard, he said. Mr. Northcroft: Was any observation made as to the proper place to keep poison?—Yes. Doyle said, "Surely you don't keep it in the pantry?"

Munn said he replied: "Why not, it Is as safe a place as any under a ■ arton on the top shelf.” The poison was in a bottle, he told the detective. Whose suggestion was it to look Jn the pantry?—Mine. I said. “It’s in the pantry. I’ll get It. You had better come and see where it is.” On arriving at the pantry, Munn bald he stood in the doorway, and placing his hand on the carton remarked “ft’s gone.” While he was looking among the medicine bottles Detective Doyle asked in which room Mrs. Munn had died. He offered to show the police officers, who followed him Into the bedroom. He opened and looked in the wardrobe, and then looked on top, as his wife was in the habit of concealing things there. He stood on a chair and was looking over the top when Detective Doyle said, “Here it is.” "I was still standing on the chair, when I looked round and saw Detective Doyle holding the bottle at the drawer entrance,” said Munn. "It’s here,” said the detective, "on top of your pyjamas.” Munn said he agreed that the pyjamas were hts, but said he had uot worn them for years because he could not stand them. The detective asserted that the drawer was witness's and he agreed. POSITION OF FURNITURE At this stage Munn came down from the witness-box and placed the models of furniture of the dead woman’s bedroom on counsel’s bench in the position in which they were on the day of Mrs. Munn's death. Accused placed the chest of drawers against the bed. Mr. Northcroft: Is there any guide by which the position of the bed can be fixed?—Yes; a caster off one of the legs has made considerable marking on the linoleum. At counsel’s request, Munn then proceeded to rearrange the furniture models In the positions which they were placed after his wife’s death. The bead of the bed. he said, was changed round to face the passage. The witness said that during Mrs. Munn’s illness the bed was not shifted. It was impossible to have the chest of drawers two feet away from the bed. Otherwise the wardrobe door could not be opened. The head of the bed was shifted round after his wife died, so that he could switch off the light without getting out of bed. Mr. Northcroft; What was in the top drawer of the chest of drawers? — On the right were my shirts' and a suit of pyjamas. The collars, after being used, were always put on that side until there were sufficient to send to the laundry. Munn swore that he never wore other than starched and ironed collars. On the left front of the drawer were handkerchiefs and *t the back were starched and ironed collars ready for use. In the middle tbere were odds and ends and his tie*. The second drawer contained bis underclothing and the bottom drawer had old clothing belonging to bis wife. The jewel drawers belonged to his wife and him respectively. He kept his studs in his and she kept her jewellery in hers.

Mr. Northcroft: We have been told that, a bottle was found in the jewel drawer the day of your arrest. How long had it been there? —Years. His Honour: Are you positive it was there when the police were there the first time?—Yes: because I asked my wife once to give it to me to put Condy’s crystals in, but she said she Wanted it herself. Mr. Northcroft: Until it was produced as an exhibit, had you handled or done anything with it? —No. had seen it in the drawer. You told the police your wife had been out of bed during her illness7-—Yes, that is correct. Mrs. Munn was out of bed twice on ednesday morning about 9 o’clock, end also on Friday. "SAT ON CHAIR” His Honour: How often was she out on Friday?—Once between 9 and 10 o’clock. She got out and then Went and sat on a chair for 10 or 15 minutes. Mr. Northcroft: How do you know she was out of bed? —The little girl fold me had been out of bed, and when I went iu I found her sitting In the chair. Munn said his wife was also out of oed on Saturday morning, and also on Sunday about 10 o’clock. She then went to a chair. He offered to assist her back to bed, but she declined. saving she was quite capable °f getting back. On Monday he was under the impression that his wife w*e out of bed three times. At 1.30 she got out to show him she could walk, to prove she was capable of getJjj* Op, because of an argument they , had about her setting up. On

that occasion she walked to the chair and then to the door, and wanted to go outside, but he stood in the doorway and declined to allow her outside. He said his wife got back to bed unassisted. His wife admitted she was out later and again in the afternoon. Munn further said he told the detectives that he had purchased phosphorus rat poison, and showed it to them. Mr. Northcroft: When you knew there was something obscure about your wife’s death, what did you think? —I could come to no other conclusion than that she had taken poison. His Honour: When did you come to this cbnclusion?—l had it in nly mind when the poison bottle was found, but I had not made up my mind until the inquest opened. I overheard ChiefDetective Hammond telling Mr. Hunt it was a clear case of poisoning by strychnine and that witness had admitted purchasing strychnine. Mr. Northcroft: You then knew your wife had died from poison?— Yes. And you could come to no conclusion other than that she had taken poison herself. For what purpose? — Because of her fear of going to, hospital. W T hen the police questioned you, did you tell them you thought your wife had committed suicide? —-No. Why?—l was reluctant to bring discredit on my wife’s memory. Did you then contemplate that you would be charged?—No. Did you tell Mrs. Stuck? —Yes, I told her not to tell anyone. Anyone else? —Mr. Weaver, deputyMayor of Northcote. I told him not to repeat it. CIRCUMSTANCES RECALLED

Before your arrest you. had given more thought to your wife’s mysterious death and that had recalled circumstances you previously considered unimportant?—Yes. What was your wife’s attitude to having more children?—She was right against that. She said she would never have more children. What effect did her miscarriage have? —She thought she was not going to have any more. I asked her what brought it on. She replied, “I know nothing,” but I thought she was hiding something. Munn said his wife used to take medicines and pills, violent exercise and hot baths, and never talked of anything else in bed that night. His wife used to skip and once he found her jumping off the kitchen table on to the floor.

He said he had obtained a prescription for a certain purpose from an acquaintance who had stayed at Barratt’s Hotel, Wellington. This friend was loaned £1 by witness. The prescription was made up and was used by his wife. He also had a conversation with his wife over a newspaper article dealing with women iu Europe taking regular doses of poison. The story mentioned that by taking small quantities the women became immune, and the article said that there were surprisingly few deaths. “What do those women take the poison for?” Munn said his wife asked him. He confessed he did not know. She declared she knew the reason, which was to poison the blood. He replied, “Oh. rubbish! You don’t need to believe all you see in print.” He said that Mrs. Munn declared that quinine was a poison, and wanted witness to get her some, which he declined to do. Mrs. Munn proceeded to question him about poisons, and he confessed he did not know anything of them, he said. He and his wife talked of the strychnine and Mrs. Munn said that one poison was as good as another for a certain purpose, witness continued. “I told her not to be a damned fool in playing with things she did not know anything about,” witness. Mr. Northcroft: On February 4 dm she say anything which you think is related to her death? —Yes: before the attack she said she would have to take something. "SURE OF HERSELF” Munn said that the night before his wife’s death, she asked him to get her some "stuff.” but he refused. He advised her to tell the doctor if she thought her illness was caused by a certain delayed event. She told him he didn’t know anything about it, anc! neither did the doctor. "The doctor knows no more than what I ha\ e tola him ” Mrs. Munn said. "I know what B wrong with me, but, he does not. ] will he quite all right in a couple of davs. and will be having afternoon tea on Wednesday with you and Mrs. Lvdiard.” He did not treat the discussion seriously as his wife seemed “ be very sure of herself in preVe Mr“ Meredfthl C> You have told us ibout vour first family?—\es. And you went to Canada? To the United States. . You were living where? —In ChristCh How' many children were born there? —Two boys. You came from Christchurch to Wellington first?—Yes. Where did you go first. To Francisco. .. _ Had you told your wife No. You left her without maintenance. Did she not take out a warrant for vour arrest? —Yes. „ And the police could not find you for four months?—The warrant was still our. when I returned. (Continued •?* Page