WANGANUI MURDER TRIAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1048, 12 August 1930, Page 1

WANGANUI MURDER TRIAL

MANLY’S LETTER AFTER TRAGEDY “1 DID IT IN LOVE AND JEALOUSY” GIRL’S BROTHER COLLAPSES IN WITNESS-BOX Special to THE SUN WANGANUI, Today. r 5 trial of Herbert Frederick Manly opened in the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon before the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, and was continued this morning:. Medical evidence on the lines given in the lower Court was taken from Dr. J. G. Adams, who was called to the scene of the tragedy. He was supported by Dr. A. D. Nelson. Regarding the post-mortem examination, both doctors held the opinion that the wound in the girl’s throat could not have been self-inflicted.

Dr. P. P. Lynch, pathologist, of Wellington, deposed to the stains on Manly's shirt and trousers, and on the handle of the knife, being, of human blood. Mrs. Elizabeth Cromarty reiterated her lower Court evidence and was subjected to a long cross-examination by Mr. W. J. Treadwell, who appeared for accused and who sought to obtain the information that the relationship between accused and Gladys Cromarty had been of a happy nature, even after the engagement ring liad been handed back by the girl. Dora Cromarty, sister of Gladys, also gave the same evidence as in the court below’. To Mr. Treadwell she said the only thing she did not like about Manly w’as the way he looked at Gladys on the fateful day. It was not an affectionate look. Counsel questioned witness closely about a letter she received from accused telling her of the broken engagement, and regarding a telephone call from Wellington about the same matter. . _ Mr. Treadwell: When you received that letter and had a telephone conversation, did you do anything? Witness: What do you mean? Counsel: Did you tell your mother pr speak to your sister about it? —No. Why?—Because I did not want to •worry mother. Counsel: That is what you say—you did not want to worry your mother? Witness recognised two letters from Manly which were handed in as evidence. One was written from Wellington and dated April 30, 1930. It began:—

with myself, when I found that all I’d hoped for and planned smashed to pieces. Also I could have gone home on the Corinthic or the Kangitiki. If you only knew all perhaps you would understand. Also, what with all this when I last visited Wanganui you'd have known that .1 was far and away from being normal. Only had you been at Koatanui and seen me day by day you would liavo known I was not.

Whilst I was at Wanganui previous to coming here I was very ill and thought it was my last and I can assure you I prayed hourly that it might be. * Since I have been here I have practically in one sense returned to myself, and have had time to think. The only thing is that I’ve not written home since April. It’s been a hard enough fight to write to you and to explain to you, but this I can say: What I did was in love jpid jealousy and not hate.

When I was repeatedly told to forget her and not worry I could not and I don’t believe ever I could have done. There was something I cannot explain even to myself and I honestly believe and am thoroughly convinced that if It had not been for meeting things would have been today as they were at Koatanui or even better. All that I wrote you or your mother I meant in sincerity and was trying to carry out. A few details and things I did not tell you or mention to any of you. I was forbidden to, and a good many things no one will ever know. There is also a lot I’d like to write to all of you, but cannot. _ . Yours truly, H. F. MANLEY.

Dear Mum and Dora, —I trust you 11 excuse me in my appealing to you; but what I am doing is in all sincerity for the one I do hold sacred and have given my heart and soul to. To think that in so short a space of time things should have altered! I fully realised it and that is why I did not want Gladie to come to Wellington. She vas 0.K., sincere and all that a girl could be till she arrived here and met —r-. Since then I have been merely a convenience. God only knows, I don’t, hoW to explain myself. At times Ido think I have taken absolute leave of my senses. Since Gladys has been here I have had but three to four hours’ sleep a night. I’ve been to a doctor today and he says. I’m on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and that if I go on as I am Tl! be in a mental hospital "‘myself. I know what the cause is and Gladys knows, too. She said I’ve been too lenient to her. She said she cautioned me from the start that if I wanted to hold her I was to be firm. This is not my nature. I’ve given way to her in everything, deprived myself of everything for her pleasure. On my day off she actually cast me on one side to go out with , a man who ruined Mr. and Mrs. life and home, etc.

When Gladys was at home her mind and thoughts, etc., were everything one could wish for. Away she is so different. This morning she said, “I want to go back to my old life. I know I *hall repent and be sorry; but I can’t When I said, “Gladys, what is the fnd?” ghe said “That is my funeral.” help it. Freedom, lift, pleasures, etc.” AH that girls in hotels such as these think of is separating men from their Absolutely filthy talk goes on and immoral lives. Only us who work in them know. Gladys is a girl in a thousand at heart, but away from home, led by others, she cannot see her folly. I know I’ve been a fool with ner, but I can t help it. This I can say, Manly is my name and manly is nty principle. My intentions are good, loyal and sincere. I truly want Gladys and have given my very heart, body and soul to her—l love her as no one Ja« or ever will. I have let myself absolute dirt beneath her feet, with her I can see fame and fortune ahead; without her nought but an ennre destruction and thus I can hontv see two valuable lives destroyed. The proprietor here says that Gladys always come back and choose Job she likes. He thinks the JJ} n shines out of her, yet the thought , * at having a car, etc., her by a married man and of hvVu gir . ls! What are they gaining life they lead? Mind you, I n °t classing Gladys as such —God n>i<je! Otherwise I would not waste to k , e ’ on *y &he’s inclined by others dr* ted that way and Ido hope and trust that the same can be avoided. at , ow the only chance is while she is borne. She is of a very determined Force is no good. It needs anrt aer a slow process, and cautious persuasion and not away nui r angariui - 1 were in Wangajoo 1 could better explain. lam at ends, mind and brain unbalanced, e *cuse grammatical errors.—Bert.

j letter was read as follows, r., fr °m H.M. Prison, Wellington, vou*n r llss Cromarty.—l trust that truth reac * and believe to be the entire tim® u hat 1 m writing. At the same y is not for any feeling to gain chan» hy or to tr y and make . you me i your views or anything toward moth 1 r ® all y meant writing it to your Mill but the same is hard enough anrt If only one could undo things amends things would be be ii different. What’s done cannot how * °? e - Only He above knows wish it could, but one thing I Ud tft all to believe is that, right •lid I vT e t * me * done what I did never op -..have the intentions of doing it that Ji er . in m y has anything of Oni l en * ered my head. 'tuctn* last month I was at WellIL, During the latter part of it that b ? at de P r © ssed and my nerves that I was going to do away

BROTHER COLLAPSES

FAINTS WHILE BEING CROSSEXAMINED THIS MORNING’S HEARING Special to THE SUN WANGANUI, Today. Tlie trial of Herbert Frederick Manly took a dramatic turn this morning when, while under the rigid cross-examination of Mr. Treadwell. Stanley Gowan Cromarty, brother of the dead girl, collapsed' in the wit-ness-box and was removed for medical attention. Mrs. Cromarty, who was in court, broke down and was removed also. Counsel was endeavouring to ascertain from witness when he first met Manly and Cromarty showed a good deal of confusion, particularly regarding where the Cromartys were living at the time. He persisted in the statement that it was on Durie Hill and not in Ridgway Street and that the Cromartys had lived at Durie Hill until late in April, 1930. Mr. Treadwell: Perhaps your Honour would wish the cross-examination to be postponed? Sir Michael Myers: It would be best. Mr. Treadwell: It makes one feel reluctant to examine him at all. Sir Michael: Evidently there was something in the health of witness nobody knew about. You are not to blame. You have been quite fair. Six witnesses were heard before the luncheon adjournment, the evidence being on the same lines as that in the lower Court. Charlotte McGrath told of seeing a man run away from 6 Ridgway Street, the house of the tragedy, on the afternoon of May 9. Witness attended at a later date at the police station and at the identification parade picked out accused.

Mr. Treadwell: You had a passing glimpse of a man in Ridgway Street? Witness: I had a good view of him. Was he running hard?—Fairly hard. Counsel: After that'tragic happening did you see a photograph of Manly?— Did that photograph appear in the newspapers before you were asked to go to the police station? It did, didn’t it? Witness: No. I don’t think it did. What day did you go to the station? —The second day of the Wanganui Counsel: Unfortunately I do not know what day the races v/ere on. It was determined that the date was May 17. Mr. Treadwell: Nov did a photograph of Manly appeajr in the newspapers before May 17? Witness said she though it did. His Honour: I hope that after what was said yesterday the Press will carefully consider the propriety of publishing photographs of accused persons. Sometimes it might be an advantage to the accused. On the whole I myself am of the opinion that it should not be done. Mr. Treadwell cross-examined nearly every witness at length, seeking to prove that Manly’s association with the Cromarty family, Gladys in particular, had been of a most happy nature. .

Stanley Cromarty, who collapsed earlier in the proceedings, appeared again and was seated throughout the remainder of the cross-examination. To Mr. Treadwell he said Manly had been paid off at the hotel in Wellington because he was too depressed to do his work properly.

Mr. Treadwell: You told us Manly asked where the police station was. How did that come up? Witness: I 6an’t really say. It just came abruptly. The family and Manly were on quite happy terms on the fateful day, said witness, but in the morning accused was very nervous.

Vera Campbell said that Manly told her in Wellington that if he did not get Gladys nobody else would.

The Witness: I told him that it was silly to talk like that. Mr. Treadwell: And you knew if was silly. Where did he tell you about it? Witness: In the hotel kitchen at his work.

Mr. Treadwell: I see. He just told you as lie was cutting up a piece of mutton, or whatever it might have been. He said nobody else would have Gladys—just told you that in quite a matter-of-fact way and went on cutting something else up? Witness: Yes.

Detective Walsh was in the box when the luncheon adjournment was taken.