“PEAKLAND OTHELLO”

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 December 1937, Page 9

“PEAKLAND OTHELLO”

REPRIEV'E RECOMMENDED. LONDON, December 1. Throe days before he was to have been, executed for the murder of his 'wcetlieart, Ronald Smedley, 25-year-jld "Peakland Othello,” was recommended by the Home Secretary for a eprieve. “Thank heaven he is saved,” ex- ■ laimcd Mrs. Smedley, his mother. Play ing in tho kitchen were Ronald’s . "o little, nephews,- Norman, aged 12, Hid Peter. 7. ,

Thousands of women were among 'be 30.000 people who signed the pelilon asking for the replieve.. Smedley has been in Leicester Price:' ,'ince November 12, when at Derby *he was sentenced for killing Tycur-old Jessie Ball at her home in Ashovcr, Derbyshire. Hundreds of police, civilian pursuers Djid bloodhounds took part in the 12days' hunt, which preceded his arrest. Hiding on the moorlands by day. ..ating blackberries and drinking from Mr cam" at night, he was discovered asleep, bearded and worn out, on\ a farm at Croinford. At the trial. Mr. R. O'Sullivan. K.C., prosecuting, drew a parallel between

Smedley’s crime and the murder of Desdemona by Othello. The motive, he said, was “that green-eyed monster jealousy' most powerful of human motives.” On the night of the murder Smedley' quarrelled with his sweetheart after she had’ mentioned going out with another man. The petition pointed out that the jury strongly recommended Smedley to mercy and that the condemned man was full of remorse.