TRAGEDY in the VILLAGE

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 275, 20 November 1935, Page 22

TRAGEDY in the VILLAGE

Trevarthen Police Court was crowded to suffocation on the following morning when Agatha Bessie White was brought before a full bench of borough magistrates on a charge of murder. The proceedings were purely formal and, after evidence of arrest, tho accused was remanded —in custody, of course— for a week. Tlie "Western Evening News" carried the news through two counties.

BODITHIEL MURDER CHARGE. Alleged Statement by Accused. "I am a Guilty Woman."

A London paper by altering the sentence to "I am the guilty woman" put a different complexion on the matter and started a lively controversy which was ended by the insertion of a correction and apology. Mr. Twining, for tho prisoner, secured tho services of Sir Robert Temple, the leading silk of the day, and local excitement ran high. The solicitor had no doubt that, on tho evidence in the possession of the police, his client would be committed to the assizes and he did not conceal from himself the fact that the outlook was none too bright. All the had induced the housekeeper to say about the "Nursing Mirror" was that she had no idea how it got upstairs, but was quite sure she had not taken it there. As to the letter to her cousin, it was merely to cheer her up because she had heard that she was depressed, and had no special meaning. Pretty thin, Mr. Twining had to confess, even for a Cornish jury. "What do you think of this?" ,Dr. ■Godhart asked Dr. Callington. "I don't know what line the defence are taking," was the cautious reply. "You're going to leave the thing alone?" "On the contrary, I'm pursuing my own inquiries on independent lines." "Look here, old man," said Godhart. "I won't attempt to conceal from you that I'm very much concerned about this. . AVon't you tell me what you've got in your mind?" "I'm afraid I can't tell anybody." "But why do you let the police go on making a blunder?" "I haven't said they are making a blunder." "But you think so." fc l don't know; but I shall find out." Godhart paused for a moment. Then he said slowly: "I'm going down to see Superintendent Ward. I would like you to come with me." Callington looked surprised. "Very good; I'll come, but I think you will find the superintendent disinclined to discuss the case with you." "I don't think so, when he knows what I have to say. I've been keeping a secret." "Only one?" asked Callington. "Only one that matters and it's coming out now." Tho two men walked down the main street together and turned into the police station —a fact which was soon public property. The constable in charge welcomed them politely. "May wo have a few words with Superintendent Ward privately ?" asked Godhart. "I expect so, sir. He's in his office. I'll ask him." The superintendent received his visitors quito cordially. "Good afternoon, gentlemen. Sit down. To what do I owe the honour of this visit?" "I have come," si:id Dr. Godhart, "to make a statement on the Bodithiel murder." "A statement of opinion, doctor, or of fact?" "A statement of fact." "Is it to assist the case for the prosecution?" "I should hardly say so." "Have you seen the solicitor for the defence?" "No: this concerns you directly and concerns him only indirectly." "Well, what is it?" ' "I have come to tell you who killed Lionel Turpin." "How long have you known that?" "From the begnning.' , "Why have you made no statement before?" "Because it was not to my interest to do so. I killed the rector." Dr. Calliugtou preserved the same impassivity in face of this announcement ae he had displayed throughout. Dr. Godhart might have been remarking on the weather. The superintendent though by no means a demonstrative man revealed the extent of his surprise. "You! But no; it's impossible. You weren't in the room." "That," said tho doctor, "is where you are mistaken. Before I knocked at the door and was admitted by Miss White, I had already entered the house quietly, crept upstairs, turned on the gas and gone out again." "Wait a minute," said the Superintendent. "If you arc going to make a confession, it is better that I should put you under arrest and caution you." "Never mind that!" enid Godhart testily. "I'm through with this. You can do what you like after. I'm not going to provide sensational copy for newspapers, and I don't want to make a statement that will be given in evidence. Its quite enough that I admit to the nnir- ' der. But I'd like you two to know just I what happened. It will be useful evi- , donee for Callington in his study of the human mind and it's only fair to you, Superindendent. "I think Callington would have got me, sooner or later, but the police wouldn't. . In your sense of the word I had no motive. I don't gain a brass farthing by Turpin's death. I simply lose a not very exacting patient and a monthly fee. Again, if I wanted to kill him there are a hundred ways open to a doctor, dispensing his own medicines to a bed-ridden man. It's ridiculous, therefore, to assume that I should sneak into the house and turn on the gas taps, don't you agree?" "That sounds common sense to me,' , the Superintendent agreed. "I think Dr. Callington will understand me," continued Godhart. "When I left the Rectory in the morning I saw red. It seemed to me an intolerable thing that a monster of selfishness like Turpin should be able to suck the vitality of a fine woman like Mies White, just like a vampire. I couldn't get him out of my mind. As I was leaving tho room I noticed the gas taps and it flashed across my mind that if they were left on for a few hours it would bo all over with him. "That idea haunted mo. First. I thought I would wait until the winter when the gas fire was on and I couid upset a jug of water and make it go 'out in the afternoon. It would pass for

HILDA HINE

CHAPTER Vl.—(Continued.)

accidental death. But I don't believe I was eano that afternoon. It was as though something was impelling me to go back and turn on the gas. What maddened me was the thought of that woman."

"I don't know what Dr. Callington's opinion is.- Was I—am I—in love with Agatha. White? I don't know. I never suspected it until that Tuesday, but every time I thought of her I wanted to kill Turpin." "Why have you confessed now? asked the superintendent. . "Not from any qualme of conscience where ho is concerned," retorted the doctor fiercely. "I don't regret it a bit. But don't you see what I've done? I seem to have drawn a noose round the neck of tho woman I wanted to free. I thought if the blame fell on anybody it would be on that mad dissenting parson." "Didn't it occur to you that suspicion must attach to the housekeeper who gained most by hie death?" "If I had had the mind of a policeman," retorted Godhart bitterly, "it might have. I never dreamed that anybody would believe Agatha White was a murderess. The first shock was when I found Dr. Callington seriously discussing it. Olf, God, what a fool I've been." "Now arrest me!" said Godhart hysterically. "And you/' he said, turning to Callington, "you can psychologise me. But do it anonymously. Look here," he said suddenly, "let me go now. Postpone tho arrest until this evening. I may be able to eavo you a lot of trouble." "What do you think of this?" said the superintendent, turning to Dr. Callington. "This," said the doctor. dispassionately, "is a hysterical statement and it ia a "false statement. It is made for the purpose of shielding a murderer." "You think so?" said the officer. "I am sure. The story simply will not hold water. If Doctor Godhart had walked up the stains that afternoon after coming up the garden path to the rectory he must have made muddy marks on the etaire. There were none." "True!" "Again, he came about a mile in the car with the postman, left the car outside and knocked at the door." "You have spoken to the postman." "Yes. I suspect everybody in a case on principle and I have thoroughly tested Doctor Godhart's alibi. I satislied myself that Doctor Godhart was not in "the house after he left it in the morning until Miss White admitted him in tho afternoon and that he was never in tho bedroom between 10.. - 50 a.m. and 10 p.m. that day. Besides, what of the •Nursing Mirror'? He has not explained that." "You're right. Then you wouklnti arrest on this confession?" "I would not." "Nor drop the case against Miss \ White ?" ; "Emphatically not." I Dr. Godhart had sat looking dazed throughout this brief discussion. He now rose from hie chair and, before the other two men had recovered from their ( surprise, he had rushed out into the street. i Superintendent Ward looked blankly at Dr. Callington. In his agitation his acquired aspirate dropped away. | "That," he said solemnly, " as about | put the tin 'at on it!" . "I don't think 1 should attach a lot of importance to that incident," said Callington. _. "The importance I attach to u is that Dr. Godhart ie air essential witness for the prosecution." . Ho outlined the police case, explaining the two points about the newspaper | ami the letter to Miss Crago. "You see the difficulty," eaid the | superintendent. "If he's sufficiently tar •rone on Mies White to make a coitfeeSon like that, do you think he'll hesitate to perjure himself in Court? 1 wining s getting Temple for the defence and he .1 blow our principal piece of evidence to piece? If we can't prove that she wan in the room after Petherick left it there s no stronger case against her than there is against him." "Who's going to conduct the case for the police at Boduiin?" "Sir Gilbert Sunderland." "Good man; but Temple's the heavier weight." '•[ know, we ought to have had him. "Who's financing the defence?" "Finance is no trouble.. Miss White gets all Turpin's money." "That's definite, is it?" "Yes; quite." "Is it much?" "Xot loss than a couple of hundred thousand. He owns a lot of very valu- ! able property ill the north." J "There's a pretty big motive there!" "Of course, ami when you consider that the alternative was starvation, I think there isn't much doubt she did it." "All the same I doubt if Sunderland's going to be very pleased with the case, to fight Temple with." "I gather that," said the superintendent ruefully, "from a letter he sent to the chief. But he's coming here to-day." "I'd like to see him," said Callingtpn. "Remind him that I'm about. He prosecuted in my last case, you know. He was against Temple then, and he'd have got the worst of it if we hadn't had BMeh a water-tight case. Meanwhile IT call on Godhart." (To be continued daily.)