DEATH IN BURNING CAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20819, 11 March 1931, Page 11

DEATH IN BURNING CAR.

ROUSE PAYS PENALTY.

EXECUTION AT BEDFORD. HELEN CAMPBELL'S CALL. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. (Received March 11, 12.55 a.m.) LONDON. Mnrch 10. The execution took place in Bedford gaol this morning of Alfred Arthur House, condemned to death for the murder of an unknown man near Northampton. There was a remarkable incident on the eve of the execution. Hie last visit of Rouse's wife was interrupted to enable him to say good-bye to Helen Campbell, whom he had bigamousiy married. Mrs. Rouse said that accused wanted her to be the last person to see him. lie was concerned about his son, who was Helen Campbell s child, and lie had asked her to seo that Helen had enough money to lake• the boy to the country.

STORY OF THE CASE.

BODY FOUND IN CAR.

PROSECUTION AND DEFENCE. The trial of Alfred Arthur Rouse, aged 36, commercial traveller, was begun at Die Northamptonshire Assizes on January 27 last before Mr. Justice Talbot. Accused was charged with the murder of an unknown man, whose charred remains were found in a burnt-out motorcar at Hardingstone, a village near Northampton, on November 6. The dead man still remains unidentified.

In opening the case for the Crown Mr. Norman Birkett, K.U., stated that on November 6, at about 1.50 a.m., two young men were returning from a dance u.t Northampton and were going up the road from Northampton to where it joins the Hardingstone Lane. They walked up the road until they readied the junction where the Hardingstone Lane runs from Hardingstone village. It was a bright, moonlit early morning, and as they reached that junction, on the farther side of the lane from which they stood, a few yards from the signpost at the corner, they saw accused emerge from the ditch at the side of the road, hatless and carrying a small attache case. 'llie two men passed him and no word was exchanged. After ttiey had passed one of the two men said to the other: " What is the blaze up there?" pointing up the Hardingstone Lane, where about 400 yds. distant there was a great glare. After the accused had passed them for about some 15yds. to 20yds. Rouse said these very remarkable words: "It looks as if someone has had a bonfire up there." He made no appeal for help, no call for assistance. What the Police DiscSVered. The two young men, Brown and Bailey, walked up Hardingstone Lane and saw the car in flames. It was a small saloon, on the south side of the road, drawn up on its proper side, by thu side of the grass, but not on the grass. Flames, which at that time were bursting from the car, were as much as 12ft. to 15ft. high, and the heat was intense.

The car was destroyed and certain of tho brass parts melted by the intense heat. The body in the car was lying face downwards on the driver's seat —the driver's seat being to the right of the car. It was lying with the right arm extended and lifted, burnt up to the elbow, and no left arm was to be seen. The left leg was drawn up and the right one rather extended.

There was also found the charred heel of a boot or shoe about 6in. to the left of the nearside running board, in line with the driver's scat on the outside of the car. Constable Copping discovered another tiling of immense importance—a petrol can. It was empty; it was burst in one of its seams toward the top, and the handle and the screw cap vrere missing. Sergeant Harris later visiited the scene of the tragedy on two occasions, and at the second visit he fourid a wooden mallet lying in the grass about 14yds. in front of the car. "When he picked it up the impression where it had lain in the grass was quite fresh, and there appeared to be hairs, upon the head of the mallet. Accused's Statement to Police. A statement made to the police by accused was produced at the trial. In this lie said he had picked a man up on the Great North Road who asked for a lift. He seemed a respectable man, and said he was going to the Midlands. His appearance was that of a clerk. Rouse said he felt sleepy on the road, pulled up, and was approached by a policeman about his lights. The unknown man admitted that when a car was travelling toward them he switched of! the lights. Rouse went on to say he lost his way and eventually pulled up in the lano where the car was found. The unknown man asked for -a smoke and he gave him a cigar. He asked the unknown man to look if he had Any petrol in the spare can. He walked down tho road a distance of about 200 yds. or 300 yds. He had a wooden mallet, which lie used to carry in the car, and he was practically certain it was in the well of the car that day. He used it for smoothing out dented mudguards. He had had it six weeks.

Continuing, accused said: " When I got clown the road I looked for a gap in the hedge and could not find one, so 1 stopped on the edge of the grass. I saw alight in front of me, but I did not tako much notice, because I* thought it was a car coming toward me. When I got up I saw my car was in flames. I stood still; I was terrified at the sight. I left my case where it was and ran toward the car. I ran as fast as I could and the flames were coming out from all around. I could not see inside the car for the flames. The doors were both shut. I ran back in the direction I had come toward the village: I ran about 10yds. or 15yds., shouting 'My God. my God.' I shouted that fairly loudly. I ran back past the car to tho place where I had left mv case. I picked that up and then slopped. I was panicstricken."

Tho Mallet and the Cause of the Fire. •Eouse was asked if he could explain how human hairs got on to the mallet. He replied: " I cannot explain that in any way whatever, except that I rubbed it over my own hair." Asked if lie could account for the mallet being found in the position it was, Eouse said: "When I w;»s stooping down I thought I heard the self-starter of my car being operated, in which case the car, if in reverse, would go backwards. I usually put it in reveiso if I stopped. If that were so it would leave the mallet some distance away from where the car had originally stood."

Asked if lie could explain how the car caught lire, House replied: " First of all I gave the man a cigar, which he would naturally light in some way or other. Presuming "lie" filled up tho tank, he would pul the petrol can back and might not have put the cap on. He may have upset some petrol, and if he dropped a match while lighting his cigar it would have caught, fire. If he had the petrol can in his hands the flames would have come all over him." When charged with Ihe mm dei Rouse replied, "I am quite innocent."

Accused was sentenced to death on January 31. He appealed against tTie sentence. but the appeal failed. A petition for his reprieve bearing 5000 sicnafurcs was forwarded to the Horn* Secretary, Mr. J. R. dynes, on March 2, but tho Minister declined to interfere with the course of justice.