GOLD COAST DRAMA

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10753, 26 November 1928, Page 5

GOLD COAST DRAMA

STORY OUTRI V ALS FICTION. ■PANTO FAVUtUTE’S DOUBLE . . ; life. • HUSBAND THOUGHT SHE WAS TN AUSTRALIA. •‘TRUEST AND BEST PALS.”

United Press AbbA. by El. Tel. Oopjnrißbl tAuetralian Prfeßa Aesooiiitioii.)' (Received Nov. 34, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 24. Belimd tho drairia in tho Cold Coast Colony, 'where Dr Benjamin Knowles is to-day under death sentence for the murder of Mrs Harriott Khowles, formerly Madge Clifton, a prominent English music hall artist and a ■ pantomime favorite, at their bungalow in a native town twentylive miles from Kumasi, the capital of Ashanti, is a story outrivallmg lietion. j The British Colonial Office learns that the murdered woman is not Knowles 1 ’ wife, hut Mrs Harriett Street, wife of Mr George Street, formerly a successful actor manager and now a theatre proprietor in England. Doting the time she was living on the Gold-Coast as the wife of Knowles,' her husband and relatives in England understood she was on a music hall tour in Australia and' they were amazed to learn that she was living on the Gold Coast. Her husband received frequent affectionate letters telling' of . her experiences in Australia. The letters were not posted abroad, hut always bore the London date stamp. The letters were enclosed in an envelope addressed to a third party in London and. wero reposted to the husband for the purpose of concealing the fact; that she was. living on the Gold Coast. She spoke of hal’d times on the theatrical tour and expressed a longing to return to her husband and England.

Street, who was deeply attached to her, is going immediately to the. Gold Coast to ascertain the story of his wife's amazing double life. He states : “I am horrified to hear that Madge Clifton lias" been murdered. We married in London several years ago and were together in the profession for a while. Then hard times came and ‘she told me that she had been offered a. contract .for a single act.m Australia. I advised her to accept if she wished. She went towards the end of last year, but returned to London and told of her experiences abroad. We lived together happily till early this year, when she fold me she had another contract in Australia and China. She sailed I had not the slightest knowledge of Knowles or how .she met him. I was not worried by the "fact: that the letters were addressed through a third person. Madge was so Bohemian and happy go lucky and casual, I could easily imagine her enclosing a letter to me in one addressed to one of her many w«iren friends. Whatevei happened <U the Gold Coast lam not blaming my wife. She was the. best woman in the world. We were ‘lie tfuest and best pals in good times and in had times.” Street then broke down and sobbed.

MUTHER WILL LODGE APPEAL

United Press Assn «y El. Tel. Oopyrlgbt rAnstralian Pre«a Assn.* (Received Nov. 25, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 25. Knowles's mother and sister were tragic figures, sitting at the fireside at Aberdeen waiting news. When they learned the verdict from a newspaper representative, the mother said:

“1 cannot believe my son is guilty. You may be assured I shall spare no effort to save him. I shall lodge, an appeal if : that has not been done.”