THE CARDIFF MYSTERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11056, 6 May 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE CARDIFF MYSTERY.

SENSATIONAL STORY TOLD BY THE HUSBAND. A sensational affair is reported from Cardiff. It appears that a man named Henry Cavil], who had been living for some time apart from his wife, went to her home and invited her to go for a walk. They 'procecded together towards Penarth, and the next thing that is known is that Cavill arrived at his brother's house, in Grangetown, and made an incoherent statement to the effect that he had murdered his wife and thrown the body into the river Ely. The man, who, it. is stated, is in an unsound state of mind, was suffering from a wound in the neck. He had apparently attempted to cut his throat; but the injuries inflicted are only superficial. The relatives becoming alarmed, sent for the police, and Cavill was removed to the workhouse infirmary, where lie is now in charge of a constable under the supervision of the medical officer. On the police arriving at the spot indicated they found signs of a severe struggle having taken place, while an umbrella and a knife were also discovered. Next day the body of the woman was found lying on the mud in the bed of the river. Her throat had been cut in several places. Deceased was only 23. The inquest on the body of the woman was held, at which the accused made a remarkable statement. He said: I did not intend to murder my wife. We sat alongside the river talking; we mentioned something about doing away with one another, we arranged the night before to take knives, each to kill the other. We were scrambling a long time. My wife said to me, " I will kill you first." She was stronger than I was, as I had been ill. Coroner: Who made those cuts on your neck? Prisoner: My wife must have done so while I was struggling with her. I said, " You shall t kill me first. We will struggle for it." Then we fell down and afterwards got up again. Ido not know what sho had in her hand at that time. She cried out first, " I am bleeding in the throat." Coroner: Who inflicted the wounds? Prisoner: We did it between us, from what I could make out, because we were gashing at ourselves and one another, as you may say. Coroner: Did she cut your throat? Prisoner: Yes, she did it with whatever she had with her. Coroner: How did she and you get into the river? Prisoner: She took tho knife and ran it with her two hands into my throat. 1 slipped down the bank and clutched at her. We struggled together for a long time, but could not sink. I got under water once, though, and she was right on the top of me. I managed to get lip again, and got rid of her at last. I was getting stronger after being under the water. I saw she was getting weak and I broke away. I then turned to help her up the bank, but I was not strong enough. Instead ot that I was going down into the mud. I did not intend to raurdei my wife, but we meant- to die together. . Coroner: What made you take the idea into your heads—you were both vounsr people? ; 6 Prisoner: We had seen so much trouble since the starting of the strike. Dr. Thomas Wallace deposed to having professionally attended prisoner, and to have advised his removal to an asvlum or beinocarefully looked after by his" friends The jury returned a'verdict of "Wilful murder" against prisoner.