CHARRED REMAINS OF MAN

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 9 March 1934, Page 5

CHARRED REMAINS OF MAN

e NEW SOUTH "WALES INQUEST. WOMAN’S ALLEGED CONFESSION. (TJtinea f-reiw Aaac-jation--By Electric Tel*-grapi. L'opyrigUt.) SYDNEY, March S. The coroner at Barren Junction opened ail inquiry into the death ol George Nott, stock and station agent, whose charred remains were discovered

in the ashes of a burned-out lire near a woolshed on Rugilbone station, 12 miles from Rilliga, whence Nott had been missing. A woman’s belt and a portion of a windscreen deflector of a ear were also found and the police seized a rifle found behind the woolshed.

Great interest is being displayed in the inquest. The police read a long confession allegedly made by Mrs. Richards, who is charged with murder. She declared she quarrelled with Nott over money matters on February 14. She lost her temper when Nott swore at her, and she picked up a stone He dared her to throw it and she hurled it at him. It struck his temple and killed him. She afterwards dragged the body from the car in which they had been sitting, built a lire- and incinerated it. She then took the car to the river and sank it. She spent a considerable time burning the body and removing all trace of the crime. Finally she told her husband, who asked her why she had not informed the police. She replied that she was afraid of being charged with murder. Her husband had helped her to sink Notts’ car in the river. He played no other part in the affair. The husband stands charged with being an accessory after the fact. Mrs. Richards declared that no impropriety occurred between herself and Nott, who at the time of his death was engaged to marry a woman whose name she refused to reveal. She added that she had no recollection of bavin 2 shot Nott. The police gave evidence that Nott told friends a week before his death that he was receiving anonymous threatening letters. The coroner committed Mrs Richards for trial on a charge of murder.