MURDERED BY GRANDMOTHER

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 168, 15 July 1916, Page 9

MURDERED BY GRANDMOTHER

A terrible story of a woman Tvho killed her grandson in his sleep rather than let him join the Army was told'at Ottery St. •Mary, Devon, Police Court, when Hannah ■Wilmington, a widow of sixty-flve, was charged with murdering her .nineteen-year-old, grandson tty shooting him while lie was asleep. The 'woman, who lives at Housten's Farm, near ,Hontton, is said to have been greatly worried because her grandson would t)e called up for military service on July 31, to wnlch date 3»e had obtained exemption on a recent titfeaL At night Mrs. Wilmington shot her grandson with a donble-barrelled gun while lie .lay asleep in bed. Both Sbarrels of the gnu were discharged, evidently at idose range, for the top of the youth's head was blown away. That he -was killed in fcis eleep was shown by the fact that the bedclothes were undisturbed. When the grandmother was arrested she said: "I do not know why. I did this to mr dear boy. who lias never given me-«a unkind word,-'?^ M ._j^j tA _ ri .