WOMAN'S DEATH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22398, 20 April 1936, Page 9

WOMAN'S DEATH

FOUND SUFFOCATED CHARGE AGAINST AIRMAN AN ALLEGED CONFESSION By Telegraph—Preßs Association—Copyright (Received April 19, 7.5 p.m.) LONDON. April 18 A member of the Royal Air Force, Aircraftsman Frederick Herbert Charles Field, aged 32, was charged to-day with murdering Mrs. Beatrice Sutton, who was found suffocated with pillows over her head in a house at Clapham a fortnight ago. The victim was separated from her husband 20 years ago. Field was alleged to have stated that he never saw the woman before, and was not in the least ill-intentioned toward her, but he murdered her because he wated to murder someone.

"I was fed up by the lack of money," accused was alleged to have said. "I had not the pluck to take my own life and I knew that by doing this I would 'put myself on the spot.' " The alleged confession stated that Field quarrelled with a woman friend and bought poison for the purpose of committing suicide. He wandered about with the poison in his possession, but lacked the courage to drink it. A doctor stated in evidence that a post-mortem examination showed that Mrs. Sutton was in ill-health and that slight pressure on the windpipe was sufficient to cause her death. Accused was remanded.