MURDERER HANGS HIMSELF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17258, 6 September 1919, Page 2 (Supplement)

MURDERER HANGS HIMSELF.

AMERICAN DOCTOR'S CRIME. CONVICTED BY HAIRPIN CLUE. Two days after being found guilty of the murder of his wife at Mineola, Long Island, Dr. Wilkins, one of the leading residents of th 4& town, ; committed suicide In gaoL , In some mysterious manner ho obtained a piece of rope rix feet long, and took it into the bathroom, where he hanged himself. Warden who went in search found him in tha bathroom alifre, but with his necks* brakes. , He died some time afterwards. . ' : ; v, , Dr. Wiltons' trial attracted widespread attention. , Mrs. Wilkin# was found dead in the road near her home on February 27, her body being covered with bruises. - Her husband told the police that he and his wife were surprised -at home by robbers, I who killed Mrs. Wilkins and attacked him, but the detectives doubted the story. When Mm. Wflkins' body was found her hair was hanging down. Dr. Wilkins suggest*} that this was due to a struggle with robbers. No hairpins, however, were ° found near the body, though some were found by detectives in 'the diningroom. I This caused the detectives to believe that Mrs. Wilkins took down/ her hair in the house, and that she afterwards ran from the house and was murdered in the 'yard. This theory made it impossible that the crime could have been committed in the house. One witness st the trial said that he heard Mrs. Wilkins murmur, " Don't hurt me," just beforn she died. This, it was argued, confirmed the theory thai Dr. Wilkins and his wife quarrelled inside the house, and that he pursued her outside, and struck the fatal blows with a hammer. Dr. Wilkins suddenly disappeared three weeks after his wife's death. He was identified by a newspaper reporter a few days later, despite the fact that he had shaved off his beard, and was arrested.