MARGATE HOTEL MURDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20521, 24 March 1930, Page 9

MARGATE HOTEL MURDER.

VERDICT OF MATRICIDE. DEATH SENTENCE PASSED. FOX PROTESTS INNOCENCE. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. LONDON. March 21. The jury at the Old Bailey found Sidney Harry Fox guilty, and he was sentenced to death for the murder of his mother in room 66 at the Hotel Metropolo, Margate. The trial was the most sensational for years. The scene of the crime was reconstructed in the court, and expert witnesses gave evidence of the effects of strangulation on the victim. The Crown's case was that Fox insured his mother's life for £3OOO the day before she was found dead in the hotel and that he strangled her and then set fire to the room.

The summing-up by the Judge occupied 2£ hours. Dealing with the conflict in the medical evidence he said it was impossible to offer the jury assistance. A curious coincidence was that a brittle bone, referred to by the experts, was not broken. It was a strong point in favour of Fox. It was unfortunate that parts concerned could not have been better preserved. The Judge referred to Fox's extraordinary life, in going from place to place without money. He said Fox's financial straits had a very direct bearing on the case. The insurance policies were the kernel of the case. Fox journeyed to London to take the policies when he had barely sufficient money to pay the fare. Undoubtedly, if his mother died by accident before midnight on October 23 Fox's position would have been changed from desperate difficulties to one of affluence. The jury was absent for 92 minutes. When asked if he had anything to say, Fox replied: "I never murdered my mother." He reeled as he left the dock. CAREER OF CRIME. ACCUSED MAN'S FRAUDS. FORGER AND JEWEL THIEF. (Received March 23. 5.45 p.m.) . LONDON, March 22.

The passing of the death sentence in the Fox case closes one of the most ous murder trials in recent years. Mrs. Fox's body was buried after an inquest at which the verdict was to the effect that her death had been th£ result of misadventure. "Apparently everybody was satisfied that it was an accident. Deceased's son was awaiting receipt ot the £3OOO insurance on his. mother's life when a former Scotland Yard detective employed by the insurance company became impressed by certain curious features in the policies, also by the circumstances of the tire.

The officer went quietly to Margate to investigate. Practically everything that was in the room at the time of the murder had been removed to a rubbish tip. This was searched diligently until every article .had been recovered.

The detective's investigations caused him to telegraph to the head office of his company: "Extremely muddy water in this business." The message caused the company to lay the facts concerning tne fire and the insurance before Scotland Yard.

Investigations also showed that the very company which issued the policy had previously paid Fox £8 for an overcoat alleged to have been lost from the cloakroom in the hotel.

Fox was arrested and held in gaol on a charge of not paying his hotel bills throughout a lengthy period. >

Simultaneously with the sentence' comes the news that Fox was convicted of forgery and the theft of jewels 10 years ago. On one occasion, under the alias of Owen Smythe, Fox posed as an old Etonian and boasted that he could stay without paying at any hotel in England. He did so on numerous occasions.

Invariably Fox deposited a sealed packet, the contents of which he declared to be valuable, in the hotel safe. This and his pleasant, confidential manner and clever stories disarmed the suspicion of the various managers.