YOUNG MAN’S CRIME

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 287, 31 August 1935, Page 22

YOUNG MAN’S CRIME

Strange Letter in Rhyme

Written partly in rhyme, an extraordinary letter was read to Mr. Justice du Pareq and a jury at York Assizes when a jealous lover, who attacked a girl with a hammer, stood in the dock. The judge sentenced Thomas Henry Ellis, aged 27, to eight years’ penal servitude for attempting to murder Miss Margaret Smith, of Deanbank, Ferryhill. "I must pass a sentence,” bis lordship told, Ellis, “that will show to young men that in this country they are not permitted to punish a woman who decides not to marry them, ami decides to transfer her affections to someone else, by inflicting upon them terrible injuries.” Ellis and Miss Smith had been engaged for about 12 mouths. In January last Ellis went to work at Luton, and letters he sent Miss Smith, explained Mr. Denis Robson, prosecuting, became more and more of a jealous nature. It was because of this that Miss Smith wrote Ellis breaking off ' the engagement. The letter which Ellis sent in reply was that of a man frantically in love. Carrying with him a heavy hammer, Ellis took train to Darlington and called at the house where Miss Smith was employed. An interview took place between the couple in the kitchen in the presence of the cook, Ellis pleading with Miss Smith to be given another chance. “No,” replied Miss Smith, and she ran upstairs for the engagement ring and handed it to Ellis.

, Telling him she would see him at seven o’clock that evening, Miss Smith advised Ellis to go away, and she walked with him to the backyard gate. There Ellis wanted to kiss her, but she would not let him. She then turned to w’alk back to the house, but had only proceeded a few paces when she received a heavy blow on the back of her head.

The cook, who was looking out of a window at the time, saw Ellis strike the girl, and ran out of the house, calling him to desist. “You get by, or you will gqt it,” shouted Ellis, and he hit the girl one or two more blows with the hammer and then ran away, leaving the weapon on the ground. Miss Smith received six separate wounds on the head, including a depressed fracture of the skull. She was in hospital seven or eight weeks. A tall, well-built girl, who showed considerable emotion when giving evidence, Miss Smith related .that, owing

io the jealousy displayed by Ellis m his letters, she decided to break off the engagement. On .’larch -1 she wrote him:— "Dear Tommy,—Sorry, but I cannot go through with the engagement, so I am breaking it off. Sorry to tell you this, but I have been thinking it over, and I think it best that we should pack up now before it is too bite. Will senfl the ring later in the week. From your loving pal, Maggie.” Two days later she wrote him again. ! repeating iter determination to end the engagement. “I am very sorry we must part, but I cannot go on as I have been going. ( know it will be very hard for yon, but you will get over it very soon. Try and get anothi,.- girl and don’t take it too much to heart. . . . But the next girl you get try and understand and don’t be too jealous of her.” Next morning, Miss explained, she received a letter from Ellis which contained the following passages:— “You are the’ only girl for me. I will never stop loving you. I love you more than ever. Well, my little love bird, I went to work singing last week; this week I have been in tears ever since you wrote that letter. Your Tommy don’t mean to hurt his little giri. I will sacrifice everything for you.” Dramatic evidence • concerning a sealed letter found In Ellis’s possession after arrest, and addressed to his mother, was given by. Police Constable Jarvis. Part of the letter, which Ellis requested should be published as a memorial, ran:— “Death did to me short warning give. Therefore, be careful how you live. My .weeping friends I leave behind, I have no time to speak my mind. Oh, Lord, how sudden was my death, Unlooked you came to me Therefore, prepare thou looker on, For it may fall to thee.” Ellis did not go into the witnessbox, and Mr. Normaa Harper, his counsel. frankly acflnitted that there was counsel, frankly admitted that there was no legal defence to the charge. He submitted, however, that the way in which Miss Smith broke off the engagement was somewhat unfortunate, and Ellis temporarily lost control of himself.

Ellis was also charged with attempted suicide. For tills he was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, the judge ordering this to run concurrently with the eight years for attempted murder.