DECLARED INSANE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 18 May 1925, Page 5

DECLARED INSANE.

MURDERER OF GRACE BLACK-

ALLER

BY CABLE-PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT 5 LONDON, May 15.

Ernest Rhodes, presented lor trial on a charge of murdering Grace Blaekaller, pleaded not guilty. , * The Pubic Prosecutor said Rhodes appeared to regard Thorne, the Crowborough murderer, as a hero and himself in somewhat the same light. There was ,nothing in his demeanour since the murder indicative of insanity. Dr. Hyslop gave evidence that Rhodes was mentally defective. Witness expressed the opinion that he was insane at the time ol the murder. live doctors supported this statement. The jurv brought in a verdict of guilty, but insane, and the judge ordered Rhodes’ detention during his Majesty’s pleasure.

“She laughed in my face and called me a poor fool. I lost my head and as we were kissing good-night I pulled out a razor and swept it slowly across her throat.” This passage appeared in the alleged confession submitted to the West London '.Police Court when Rhodes appeared last month on the charge of the murder of the girl- Grace Blackaller. Rhodes’ statement detailing the events leading up to the tragedy, described how, when leave-taking after tile cinema one evening, Grace BlackaPer; whom he had known for two months, teased him about going with other boys. Rhodes told her that he loved her and. that she was only playing with. him. and he would do something desperate. Grace said, ‘I meant to tell you I lo\’e you.’ wanted to kiss me again, and then I saw blood on the razor and she screamed, and I ran away. I did not know until I read the newspaper that Grace was dead, and then I decided to make a clean breast of it.”