POISONING SENSATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20810, 28 February 1931, Page 2 (Supplement)

POISONING SENSATION.

WOMAN WHO DISAPPEARED.

DISCOVERY OF-MRS. HEARN.

STORY OF THE ARREST.

IDENTIFICATION BY PHOTOS.

Two mpnths after she had disappeared from her home in a Cornish village, Mrs. Sarah Annie Hearn, whom tho police were anxious to interview regarding tho death from arsenical poisoning of a farmei's wife, was arrested on January 14 and charged with murder.

The search for Mrs. Hearn extended throughout the British Isles. Her description was given the widest publicity, and she was reported to have been seen in places as far apart as Glasgow and Nottingham. Yet all the time she was living quietly as a cook-general in the house of ft Torquay architect, less than 50 miles away from the spot where the hue and cry originated. Some time elapsed before the suspicions of her employer were aroused, and when, at length, he communicated with the police, steps were taken to apprehend her as unostentatiously as possible. Detectives shadowed her as she went on a shopping expedition, and then, in the dusk of early evening, the long search was brought to a dramatic conclusion. So quietly was the arrest of Mrs. Hearn carried out ihafc few people in Torquay or at Launceston, wfiere she subsequently . appeared before a magistrate, were aware 'of the dramatic event. Indeed, the news did not become public property until after she had been remanded to Exeter Gaol.

Appearance at Court. The streets of Launccston were crowded with farmers and their wives, who had flocked to the fortnightly cattle market, when Mr. James Treleaven, a county magistrate, toot his seat in the guardroom at the police station, which is used as an occasional court. Mrs, Heafn entered the court accompanied by a prison matron. She looked quite well and was wearing a long claretcoloured coat with fur collar and cuffs, and a scarlet hat of soft 'material. Throughout the brief proceedings she seemed entirely self-possessed, and thero was never at any time any sign of agitation. It was somewhat difficult to recognise her from the photographs which had been so widely circulated, but that may be accounted for by the fact that ' she was wearing a hat which entirely concealed her hair, and also.that she had gold-rimmed spectacles. In a low, quiet voice, the accused replied " Yes." to the question Jf she were Sarah Annie Hearn, of Trenhorne House, Lewanniek, and then the Acting Clerk read out the following charge " That .you, Sarah Annie Hearn, of Trenhorne House, Lewanniek, between October 18 and November 3, 1930, in the parish of Lewanniek, did kill and murder ' one Alice Maud Thomas.", To this Mrs. Hearn made no response. She was remanded. , " Mrs. Annie Faithful." A large .crowd gathered outside the police station to witness Hearn's removal to Exeter Gaol in a car. The hood, however, was closely drawn, but it could ]?e seen that she was seated at the back between a prison matron and a police officer. > The events leading up to Mrs. Hearn's apprehension were remarkable in view cf the glare of publicity which was directed upon her after her disappearance on November 10. On the following day a woman who gave the name of Mrs. Annie Faithful appeared at the house of Mrs. H. E. Marker, of Torquay, and engaged lodgings. During the week she was there Mrs. Faithful studied the advertise- . ment columns of the local newspaper, and was (ivehtually engaged, on November 18, as cook-housekeeper by Mr. and Mrs. A. U, Powell.

Mr. Powell, who is an architect, relates: *' The woman came to us with excellent references, and informed us that her name was Annie Faithful. She was with us ■ for some time before my attention was drawn to her supposed resemblance to photographs which had been published of Mrs. Hearn. At first it seemed impossible. - She was in every way an efficient housekeeper, and carried out her duties carefully and thoroughly. Shadowed by the Police. " Later another photograph g'as published, and this was shown to. lis. When ,wo saw it.the resemblance to our maid was 80 marked thab we determined to take action. Matters had to be arranj'td very carefully owing to the fact that my wife ' is in delicate health, and I was afraid of any shock she might receive if it shpuld turn out that this woman was Mrs. Hearn." Ultimately Mr. Powell consulted a friend, Mr. E. H, German, J.P., exMayor of Torquay, and on his advice in- ] formed the local police. The Cornish j Constabulary were communicated with and as a result Sergeant Trebilcock, of Lewannick, who knew Mrs. Hearn, was sent to Torquay to assist tho local detectives in their delicate mission. In order to spare Mss. Powell any dis- • tress it was arranged that the so-called • Mrs. Faithful should bo sent out shopping, and Sergeant. Trebilcock posted himself ivhere. he could see everybody who left - lhe front entrance of tiie house. Mrs. Hearn left the house by a back entrance, however, and instead of going into the town went to a suburb. Admission of Identity. Later in the evening a Torquay police officer, who was also engaged in the task of identification, saw the woman in the - street, and kept her under observation. When she hoarded a bus he entered the vehicle with her, and he alighted with nor. Near the entrance of the house he taw Sergeant Trebilcock,.and indicated to aim that tho woman was the one who was inspected of being Mrs. Hearn. ■ It was dark at the time, but there was 1 street lamp beneath which the woman passed. As the light shone upon her face Sergeant Trebilcock saw that she answered the description of Mrs. Hearn. Ihe officer approached her, and the tergeant remarked, " I believe I know you." The woman did not reply. The sergeant' then said, "I think you know •Lewannick." Tho woman replied, " Yes I have been there."

A police * car was' standing near, and Mrs. Hearn was driven in it to the police itation. When questioned there she iriinitted her identity. M Nat Ti U ~ Widc interost in the search for llearn was first aroused after the '52 ° n v S - AHcO Mnud of Tienhorne Farm, Lewannick. Mrs Lr 3 TT hVed ab 1 0Ut 100 J' al ' fls f''om Trenouse > where Mrs, Hearn had re-

sided for several years, and was on friendly terms with her. Daring an excursion to Bade with her husband and Mrs. Hearn, Mrs. Thomas, was seized with an illness, and died at Plymouth Hospital on November 3, 0

At the inqueiit, during which it was stated that Mrs. Hearn had assisted in nursing her friend, the jury returned a verdict that Mrs. Thomas died of arsenical poisoning; that it was homicidal, but there was not sufficient evidenco to show by whom, or by what means, the arsenic was administered. Replying to the coroner, the foreman agreed that it meant a vordict of " Wilful murjler ngainst some person or persons unknown." On November 10, a few days after Mrs. Thomas was buried, . Mrs. Hearn was driven to Looe by a neighbour, and vanished. Oil November 18 tho Chief Constable of Cornwall issued a notice to all police stations in the country that it was desired to interview Mrs. Hearn in connection with tho death of Mrs. 'ihomas. Mrs. Hearn had lived at Trenhorne House, Lewannick, for about five years, and during that time had'been regarded as the widow of a Dr. Hearn. Although many .people professed to have seen Mrs. Hearn in various parts of the country, tho possibility of her being dyd was nob wholly discounted. At the inquest on Mrs. Thomas, a letter from Mrs. Hearn to Mr. Thomas was read, in which it was stated:—" Good-bye. lam going out if I can. lam innocent—innocent. She is dead, and it was my lunch she ate. I cannot bear it." On December 9* interest in tho strange mystery was intensified when the bodies of Miss Mary Ann Everard, the aunt of Mrs. Hearn. and Miss Lydia Maria Everard, Mrs. Hearn's sister, were exhumed from Lewannick churchyard by order of tho Home Office. A post-mortem examination was carried out, and organs from the bodies sent to the Homo Office for analysis.