DEATH SENTENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22356, 29 February 1936, Page 13

DEATH SENTENCE

UNREGISTERED NURSE FATE OF A PATENT. LONDOJf. Feb. 27 "I am innocent,'" said Dorothea Nancy Waddingham, aged 34, when sentence of death yas passed upon her at Nottingham Assizes with a recommendation to mercy. She had been found guilty of murdering Ada Louisa Baguley, aged 50, in a nursing home conducted by accused, who was an unregistered nurse. Ronald Joseph Sullivan, who assisted accused to run the home, was similarly charged, but was acquitted during the hearing. Evidence showed that Ada Baguley and her mother, bo& of whom were cripples, entered the home and eventually Ada, by a will dated May 7, 1935, left all she possessed, the estimated value of which was £I6OO, equally between accused and Sullivan in consideration of their looking after herself ~ and her mother during their lives. The mother died on May 12, aged BT, and Ada died on September 12. The prosecution alleged that Dorothea Waddingham poisoned Ada with morphia. The condemned woman is the mother of five children ranging in age from four months to, ten years. She saya she K will appeal. The charge of murdering Ada'i mother remains on the file. iThe Crown withdrew a similar charge against Sullivan after his acquittal the charge of murdering Ada.