SUITCASE MURDER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 June 1938, Page 9

SUITCASE MURDER

CHARGE AGAINST DOUGLAS ARMSTRONG LOWER COURT HEARING OPENED. CROWN CALLING TWENTY-ONE WITNESSES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The hearing commenced today in the Magistrate’s Court of the charge against Douglas Alexander Armstrong, fitter and turner, aged 20, of having murdered his father, Edwin Norman Armstrong, at Wellington on May 6. Considerable public interest was taken in the case, and at eight o’clock there were some people waiting outside the Court buildings for the doors to open. When the hearing began, there were about 200 persons present in the space reserved for the public. Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., presided. The case for the Crown was conducted by Mr W. H. Cunningham, Crown Prosecutor at Wellington, with whom is associated Sub-Inspector J. Carroll. Mr H. F. O’Leary, K.C., with him Mr D. Foster, are appearing for Armstrong, who, when his name was called, walked quickly into the dock. The number of exhibits, including a rifle, knives, clothing, a suitcase, the remains of another suitcase, mats, a tea tray and a roll of matting form part of the police case. .The Crown Prosecutor proposes calling 21 witnesses, and it is expected that the Lower Court hearing will occupy at least two days. Before a start was made with the evidence, Mr O’Leary asked that all witnesses be ordered to remain out of Court except the medical witnesses, and Sub-Inspector Carroll, whose presence he understood was necessary in the conduct of the case for the Crown. The magistrate made this order. Mr Cunningham did not outline the Crown’s case, stating that the story would unfold itself as witnesses were called.