FAMOUS MURDER CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20088, 27 October 1928, Page 13

FAMOUS MURDER CASE.

GUILT OF MRS. THOMPSON. LORD BIRKENHEAD'S DOUBT. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. LONDON. Oct.. 25. The Earl of Birkenhead in his new book, " More Famous Trials," issued today, makes the surprising admission that lie has a lingering doubt as to the guilt of Mrs. Thompson, in tho famous Bywaters case. " Admitting that she planned and plotted the murder; recognising that if I had presided at the trial X would have directed tho jury as Mr. Justice Shearman did; realising, as a member of the Court of Criminal Appeal, that X should likewise have found no reason for quashinsc the verdict; nevertheless, X still find a small lingering doubt as to whether Mrs. Thompson was present at the crime, if she arranged it or, indeed, whether she had any idea that such a crime would be attempted."

The trial of Frederick By waters and Mrs. Edith Thompson, for the murder of the woman's husband, Percy Thompson, at lJford, was begun before Mr. Justice Shearman in the Central Criminal Court on December 6. 1922. and they were sentenced to death on December 12. Their appeals against the sentence were dismissed on December 22 and they were executed. Bywaters, who was 20 years of age. was a steward on a ship. Thompson was a shipping clerk in the. city. He was stabbed to death about midnight on October 4. 1922, near bis homo at llford.