GOLD COAST DRAMA

Hokitika Guardian, 26 November 1928, Page 3

GOLD COAST DRAMA

TBAGIC END OF MUSICAL HALL AimSTE -

United Press Association. —By Electric

Telegraph.—Copyright.)

LONDON. Nov. 21. Behind the drama in the Mold Coast Colony, where Dr. 'Benjamin Knowles is to-dav under a death sentence lor Lhe murder of Mrs Harriott Knowles (formerly Madge Clifton, a prominent English Music Hall artiste and pantomime favourite) at their bungalow in a native town. 25 miles from Kiimasi. the. capital of Ashanti, is a story outrivaling fiction. The British Colonial Office learns that the murdered woman is not Knowles’ wife, but Mrs Harriet Street, the wife of George Street, formerly a successful actor-manager, and now a meatre proprietor in England. During the time she was living on the Gold Coast: as the wife of Knowles, her husnnd and relatives in England understood that she was on a music hall tour in Australia, and they were amazed to ■earn that she was living on the Gold Coast.

Her husband received frequent afectionate letters, telling of her experiences in Australia. The letters were not posted abroad hut always lxirc a London date stamp. The letters were enclosed in an envelope, addressed to a third party in London, and re-posted to'the husband, for the purpose of concealing the fact that she was living on thi 1 Gold Coast. She spoke of hard times on theatrical tours, and expressed •i longing to return to her husband andEngland. Street, who is deeply attached to her : s going immediately to the Gold Coast, to ascertain the story of his wife’s amazing double life. He states:

I nm horrified to hear that Madge

Clifton is murdered. We were married in London several years ago, and were together in the profession for a while. I lu'ii hard times came, and she told me die had been offered a contract for a single ad in Australia. I advised her fo accept if she wished. She went towards the end of last year hut returned In London and told of her experiences abroad. Wo lived together happily till early this year when she told me she had another contract in Australia and China. She sailed again. I had not the slightest knowledge of Knowles, or how she met him. I was not worried by the fact that her letters wore addressed through a third person. Madge was so bohemian, happy-go-lucky and casual. I could easily imagine her enclosing a letter to me in one addressed !o her many women friends. •■Whatever happened on the Gold Coast T am not blaming my wife. She was the best woman in the world. Wo were the truest and host of pals in good times and in had times.” Street then broke d< wn and sobl>ed. Knowles’s mother and sister are iragio figures, sitting at the fireside at \hordeen. waiting news. When they learned the verdict from a newspaper cannot believe my son guilty. You representative, the mother said: ‘‘l may be assured. T shall spare no effort to save him. I shall lodge an apjxral if that has not been done.”