MURDER AT WANGANUI

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 138, 10 May 1930, Page 9

MURDER AT WANGANUI

YOUNG WOMAN THE VICTIM. DIES BEFORE MOTHER’S EYES. FORMER FIANCE CHARGED. Per Press Association. WANGANUI, May 9. | At about 3.30 p.m. to-day, Gladys 31 Cromarty, aged 21, a daughter of Mrs I O. Cromarty, of No. 6 Ridgway Street, | staggered down a flight of stairs witli | a gaping wound in her throat. She made | an effort to speak, but tumbled face | down through the kitchen door and | died on the floor in front of her I mother’s eyes. | Down the stairs behind the girl came I a man who was residing in the same I house. He left by the front door and, | snatching a bicycle, rode away as fast R as he could. | The distracted mother rushed to the H gateway, crying: “He’s after my bairn! H He’s after my bairn! Won’t anyone ffihelp me?” m Just on three hours later, the man, HjHerbert Frederick Manley, aged 38, SsSWalked into the Wanganui central police ijfetation and said: “I’m the man you’re iffiooking for.” Bj He was then taken into custody and ifflfeharged with the murder of Gladys fift'Cromarty. | ABERDEEN FAMILY. 1 GIRL BREAKsHeNGAGEMENT. $ SEARCH FOR WEAPON. jH According to the Wanganui ClironKicle, which gives additional details, Hpthere were four persons ,in the CroW marty dwelling when the tragedy cell curred, the mother, deceased, Herbert P Manley and the eldest daughter, Miss |. Dora Cromarty. Farlier in the day I sounds of gaiety were heard in the | house, including gramophone music. I Everybody seemed to be happy. I body seemed to be happy. K Deceased is described as a goodI looking girl. Miss Dora Cromarty a came out from Aberdeen about six years ago as a domestic servant and was employed near Hunterville for a time. It was through' her influence t’ that deceased and her brother came ! out to the Dominion, and eleven ! months ago the mother (a widow), at the recpiest of her eldest daughter, j; also came out to the Dominion with i three other members of the family, I two daughters and a son, aged 18 1 years. They took up their residence • m Wanganui. At that time deceased was employed as a waitress at a leading hotel, but i later she went to Mr G. M. Currie’s residence at Ivoatanui as a domestic. Herbert Manley was employed there as a chef. The two ultimately became engaged, and the announcement of the fact appeared in the Wanganui papers. Manley left Mr Currie shortly after and went to Wellington, where he ob■l*. tained a position as chef at an hotel. i'!j Gladys Cromarty followed him and ;:V was employed in the same estabiish- | ment. Later Stanley Cromarty self! 1 cured a position as cook in the same a' hotel. I About 14 days ago Gladys Cromarty I broke off her engagement with Manley [f and returned to Wanganui. The latter and Stanley Cromarty visited Wanganui on Tuesday and it was their intention to return to-morrow. Stanley Cromarty told a newspaper : representative that Manley had been j a good friend to him and was a decent I, chap. Mr J. It. Foster, hotel proprie. f| tor, speaks highly of deceased. Mr Currie states that she was one of the I'irbest waitresses he ever employed. r,S|j r l’he police have made a thorough Weearch tor the weapon, which is believMjed to be a heavy knife, and which itStiManley says he left in the house. They ipave not been able to find it, however.

i ; MANLEY CHARGED. I OATES TRAGEDY RECALLED. I [WANGANUI SHOCKED. It Per Press Association. Vi WANGANUI, May 10. 1 Herbert Frederick Manley was cliargjjfed at the Court this morning that on ■ May 9, 1930, at Wanganui, lie did murf tier Gladys Cromarty. I An unusually large crowd was in I waiting at the Court to get a glimpse I of the accused. „ K The police aye searching lor tfie cliel s I knife with winch it is Delievcd the I tragedy was committed. I A post mortem of the deceased girl I was held this morning, and the inquest I. was opened with evidence of identifluuI iNot since Friday, October 26, 1923, 1 when Mrs N. R. Oates was found brut- | ally murdered at tier residence at H Somme Parade, Arainolio, has Wanfflganui been so shocked. K I lie motive ol tiie crime was apparently jealousy. Iff f rom an occupant of the house it is » garnered that Manley came down the K t lairs iiumediy, about three steps at a I time, rushed out ol the front uoor and I was seen to run along Ridgway Street I to Wilson Street, thence to the Quay, I and was then seen running in the aireeI tion or the gas works, on Xaupo I The unlortunate girl staggered down I the stairs, and at tne entrance to the I kitchen sue collapsed and died ber Mrs Cromarty and her eldest daughter [ Dora were in the house at the time. E Mrs Cromarty ran outside for assist- [ ance, and her cries attracted Mrs | Dougali, who resides next door. She I went into the house and, sizing up the | situation, rendered what assistance she it could to the distracted mother. K J’lie police were quickly on the scene k and as the unlortunate girl was beyond human aid, steps were taken expedi- | tiously to spread a net or police in an | endeavour to apprehend Manley. I Apparently none of the neighbours heard any commotion, and the mother and sister of the victim only heard | what they described as a dull thud and jj ! wore oblivious of anything unusual j happening until Miss Cromarty collapsj ed in the kitchen doorway, j The bed on winch the unfortunate j girl lay was saturated with blood, and there were a few stains of blood on the wall of the bedroom, a slight trail of blood down the stairs, and a large pool of blood where the young woman breathed her last. The father of the victim died some six years ago. It was a homely, well-furnished residence wherein dwelt the happy family until the time of the tragedy.