GOLD COAST DRAMA.

Grey River Argus, 26 November 1928, Page 5

GOLD COAST DRAMA.

TRAGIC END. Of Music Hall Artiste. LEADING A DOUBLE LIFE. (1-0 ceived November 24, at 11 p.m.) LONDON, November 24 Behind the drama in the Gold Coast Colony, where Doctor Benjamin Knowles is today under a death sentence for the murd; r of Harriott (formerly Madge Clifton, a prominent. English Music Haii artisv and pantomime Tuveuritc) at theii bungalow in a native town, 25 nulC'from Kumasi, the- capital of Ashanti, is a story 'outrivaling fiction The British. Colonial Office l.arne that the murdered woman is Kno wees’ wife, but Mrs Harner Street, the wit- / of George Strcc r ., formerly a successful actor-Managcr, and now a theatre proprietor in England. During the time she was living on the Gold Coast as the wife of Ka'owli s. her husband and reiativc;.in England understood that she v.as on a mu ic hall tour in Australia, and they were amazed to learn that alnf A’as living on the Gold Coast. Her husband received frequent fi ctionate letter’s, telxing ot her experiences ill Australia. The letter' were not posted abroad, but always bone a London date ibe letters w!Jre enclosed in an envelope, ad dressed to a third party in London, and re-posted to the husband, for the purpose of concealing the fact that she was living on the Go.d Coast. She spoke of hard limes oil til atrical tour, and expressed a longing to return to nei- husband and England. Street, who was ul eply attached to her ,is going immediaLAly t*o tlif* GoM Coast to ascertain the story of his wife’s amazing double life. He states •*1 am hcarriiied to hear that Madge Clifton is murdered Vvfl were married in London several years ago, and were together in tlw profe. SxOa for a while. Then hard times cam £ and she told me she had keen offered a contract for a single act in Australia. I advised her to accept if sawishod. She went towards the end last year* but returned io Loudon and told of her experi* nces abroad. We lived together happily till early this year, wh- n she told me she had another contract in Australia and China. She sailed again. 1 had not the s.ighte-t knowledge of Knowles, or h'uw she met him. 1 was nol; women by the fact that h! r letters were addn. ssed tnrough a third person. Madge was so bohemian, hajppy-go-lucky and casual. 1 could easily imagine her en closing a letter to me in ne addressed to oxc of her many women fn.nds Whatever h.|ppcned on the Gold Coast I am not blaming my wife. She was the best woman in the world. vv<‘ were tin I truest and best «of pais m good times and in bad times.’.’ Street then broke down and sobbed.

Knowles’s mother hud sist t aie tragic figures, sitting at the fireside at Aberdeen, waiting news. When they learn! d the verdict from a newspaper representative, the mother said “1 cannot believl • my son guilty, may be assured, I shall spare no effort to save him. 1 shall lodge au alppual if that has not n done.’’