MURDER BY WOMAN

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 September 1923, Page 5

MURDER BY WOMAN

DEATH SENTENCE PASSED. A GLASGOW CRIME. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association) LONDON, September 19. The sensational trial over the Glasgow boy murder in June last has concluded. The accused were a married couple named Newell, tiie charge being that of murdering a newsboy. A little girl, the daughter of Mrs. Newell by earlier marriage gave astonishing evidence. She said that she went indoors from her playground and saw a newsboy lying on a couch. Her mother covered his face with paper breeches. Then she tried to raise the floor with a poker, in order to hide the body. Finallj’ she put it in a bundle on a go-cart, the little girl being given a seat on top of the bundle. The discovery came through the dead boy’s foot protruding from the go-cart. A crowd collected and her mother was then arrested .

During the trial the male prisoner was conclusively proved not to have been at home at the time of the murder. The charge against him was withdrawn. Mrs. Newell was sentenced to death. EPILEPTIC KILLS WIFE. EVIL SPIRIT BLAMED. LONDON, September 19. Herbert Fryatt, aged 20, was indicted at Old Bailey for murdering his wife. Mr. Leyton (Counsel for the defence) pleaded that it was not Fryatt, but an evil spirit, that did the deed. He was possessed of a devil, which was old-fashioned, but a perfectly accurate description of epilepsy. The prisoner broke down in the box and cried that he loved his wife truly. Justice Swift said: “Try not to distress yourself. You have nothing to worry about!” Fryatt continued: “Suddenly I found myself trembling all over, and lost consciousness. When I waked, I found my wife dead. I knew I had killed her. At once I got some spirits of salts that my wife used in cleaning clothes, and drank some.” A doctor gave evidence that the prisoner had committed the deed in a state of epileptic automatism. A verdict was returned that accused was guilty, but insane.

SHOT IN HOSPITAL. A VINDICTIVE HUSBAND. ADELAIDE, Sept. 20. After previously serving a lengthy sentence for attempting to kill his wife, a man named Rolfe met her in the street and assaulted her, wounding her in the head. Next day Rolfe visited the hospital and fired five shots at his wife lying in the bed. The doctor and hospital attendants, after a long chase, captured Rolfe. The woman is in a critical condition from her wounds.