HENLEY MURDER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 July 1938, Page 6

HENLEY MURDER

CHARGE AGAINST PARKS. HEARING AT DUNEDIN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, This Day. At the trial before Mr Justice Kennedy of Eric Sandagger Parks, aged 28, on a charge of murdering Francis Amelia Lee at Henley on April 16, a statement made by the accused within the last few days, with his counsel’s knowledge, was read yesterday afternoon by the Crown Prosecutor (Mr F. B. Adams). In his statement, - accused described a visit on the 'night of the. tragedy to Henley,, where he saw Mrs Lee. Detailing a long conversation, Parks said Mrs Lee abused him. “When she was saying all this to me,” the statement continued,. “I felt it was beyond me to stand any more. I don’t know what happened to me, but my head seemed to burst. I don’t remember clearly what happened then — everything seemed to be a muddledup haze. I remembr suddenly realising that Mrs Lee was -bleeding a lot. I was' pahic-stricken. I remember rushing out and trying to electrocute myself on their switch-board, but I couldn’t do so. I remember in a dazed kind i of way going in to see Frances, but I don’t remember exactly what happened in there.” Accused also gave an account of trying to kill himself by electrocution and gas poisoning. Evidence given by medical and other witnesses was continued today. Frances Amelia Lee, accused’s former fiancee, stated that on the night of the tragedy she was awakened by accused flashing a torch in her face. He appeared to be very agitated, and was shaking. He said he had come for the engagament ring. She said he could get it himself and she’d call her mother if he didn’t go. He said it was a dirty, sneak/ thing for her to go out with Horace Parsons. During the. ensuing conversation accused said he didn’t care what happened, nor if he got 14 years. Before he went he said: “Good-bye Frances, you’ll never see me again.” Before going he stated that he had a motor-car outside and had told his mother he was going to their home at Port Molyneux, -.taking witness with him. She heard Parks go outside and watched him return to the car.

Witness proceeded that after Parks’s departure, she went to her mother’s door, peering round and asking was she awake. There was no reply and she thought her mother was asleep. There was a peculiar smell after Parks left, but it didn’t occur to her that the smell might be blood. Witness finally returned to bed. Later she heard Smith say someone had been in the house. She heard Smith ask her mother if she was awake, then entering deceased’s room. He then came to witness’s room very upset, and because of something he told her she remained in bed. The sledge hammer produced was identified by witness, who said it was kept in a tool shed. As far as she knew it had nevei - been in the house before.

Cross-examined by Mr C. J. L. Wlfite, witness stated she had fully intended to marry accused after their engagament. She really thought accused loved her. One of his acts was to open a savings bank account for her and deposit £7 during three weeks. She was in Dunedin and he paid board for her while she stayed at his boarding house. He also financially assisted her to pay off a costume. There was no unhappiness between them. He had offered to send her on a trip to the North Island to keep her away from her mother. On one occasion when the latter and witness had a row, she threatened to leave, but accused interfererj. The final witness' before lunch was Alexander Smith, who employed the deceased as a housekeeper. He related finding her body. He noticed a sledge hammer in the porch, where it had not been the night before.