STRANGE MURDER

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 121, 24 May 1928, Page 11

STRANGE MURDER

WOMAN SHOT IN SYDNEY, BOY'S STORY OF FATHER Cnitcd Press Association—By Electric Tdti^. eraph—Copyright. (Received 24th May, 10 a.m.) , SYDNEY, This Day. Miriam Merriman, aged 56, was mury dered at Middle Harbour, North Sydney, (having, been shot; through the head, apparently with a pea-rifle, which was discovered in- tho ; .house recently discharged. Frederick Lawrence, aged 62, a painter,, .who diad :been living with tho deceased .for stwenty years, claiming: to be her husband, "Was arrested ou a charge Of .murder^ ■-He denies the charge, and told the poli.o that the deceased must have' committed suicide, but the police found the pea-rifle in another pari of the houso entirely apart from the body. Lawrence's sister, living a mile away, paid a chance visit to the house, arid when she learned iof what had happened she fell on',her knees on the front verandah,-'and'prayed aloud for her brother and the dead woman. The curious crowd, which'- had gathered to the spot, bared "'their -'Reads.} The police last night searched for a long time before they found a ten-year-old son nearly frantic at his aunt's. He told the police that he saw his father creeping along the passage - towards his mother with a pea-rifle. His father gave him a two shilling piece to clear out quickly. Tho police : learned that ; . Lawrence had been mostly unemployed'lately and wanted his wife toshift to another suburb; She,was so attached-to the place that she declined.'•■''•■ >i«ri *? •