THE BATH-TUB MURDERER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2529, 2 August 1915, Page 3

THE BATH-TUB MURDERER

BAD FROM BOYHOOD. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, July 30. The "E veiling News" publishes a remarkable lifo story of George Smith, convicted of tho murder of threa women by drowning tliem in baths. Smitli was born in 1872. Ho was bad from boyhood. His mother often said ho would die in his boots. He was sent to a reformatory for stealing when sixteen years of age, and was sentenced to six months' hard labour in 1891. Later lie posed as a. music-hall song writer. He preyed upon women for twenty years, first living with a. series of women, whom ho employed to help him in stealing. Usually lie got tliera in;o domestic service by means of his own false recommendation as their late employer. He and the woman tlien absconded with the plunder. Ho constantly changed his name and address. The oolico found clues to his crimes in forty toa'ns. !'.j;ce or twice the women were caught and imprisoned, but Smith usually escaped. Once lie was imprisoned for two years for robbery at Hastings. His arrew was due to Beatrice Thornhill, whom lie married under the name of Love, at Leicester, she avenging lier desertion by giving him into custody, as lie was wanted by the police. It was then found that Smith prompted a bogus servant to rob a clergjman's house in Hastings. Smith married seven women, four of whom liad known him less tlian a month. He murdered five of them. Each had money.