DEATH-BED CONFESSION

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 68, 13 December 1932, Page 2

DEATH-BED CONFESSION

Woman Liberated from Prison A woman’s deathbed confession to a priest, who refused to give her absolution until she had signed her statement, has cleared a maid-servant ot a charge of theft for which she was sentenced at Brussels in March last year to five years’ Imprisonment. The servant was employed by an Antwerp man. and left her situation in August, 1930. Shortly afterward the man’s flat was burgled and about £95 In cash, a flearl necklace valued at £175, and a medallion worth £l2 were stolen. The man’s sweetheart, the woman who has just died, accused the servant, who, despite her protests of innocence, was tried and sentenced. A few days ago, knowing that she was dying, the woman confessed that her accusation was unfounded, and signed a document to that effect, which was forwarded to the Attorney-Gene-ral. He ordered the servant to be released. Several prisons were searched before she was found at" Namur and liberated. Another strange fact is that although she appealed immediately after Lev conviction the ease was never heard, and the authorities are now endeavouring to discover why.