ADMITTED HIS GRIME

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11784, 21 March 1924, Page 5

ADMITTED HIS GRIME

WILLIAMS FOUND CUILTY KILLED HIS CHILDREN AS AN ACT OF LOVE. INSANITY PLEA WAIVED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. — Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Associotion(Reeeived March 20, 8.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 20. The trial of Williams on the charge of murdering his three children at Paddington has opened before a crowded court.

Williams, in an impassioned statement from the dock, said that when he committed' the crime he did not expect, nor did he attempt to escape punishment. The plea of insanity had been raised against his wishes. He did not plead that he was insane. PATHETIC STORY.

He told a pathetic story of how his wife had been in an asylum for over two years. The whole responsibility for the children fell on him. He had to feed and clothe- them including the school holiday time -when the lot of a music teacher was a hard and lean one. He fed and clothed them, but starved himself. He had only meal daily, very often having breakfast at 9 o’clock at night. His suite were secondhand and never cost him more than 265. WH-AT DETERMINED HIM.

He referred to the unsatisfactory arrangements made for the care of the children when he was away teaching, and the suggestion by -relatives living in the house tliat he should send them to an institution. This suggestion and the fact that he had no one to look after them, and could not neglect ihis pupils, and thereby saorifioe his earnings decided him to do what he did. He reiterated that he was not insane, and- did not want to escape the consequences of his crime by pleading insanitT. FEARS FOR GIRLS. He said that if the girls went to an institution they would he separated, and when they came out they would be tools of the first smooth-tongued person who came along. He called attention to the fact that his eldest girl had certain facial characteristics similar to her mother, and had feared that she might similarly develop insanity. He could! not kill her and leave the two others, and therefore decided to murder all three. PICTURED THEM IN HEAVEN. He added: “I say murder because it was murder. When I did it I pictured them happy in heaven. They went to God with untarnished souls." He was not callous because when he killed them he loved them most intently. He covered the bodies so that he would not see them again. Be committed the crime at 2 in the morning. At 7, Williams stated, he went to mass and asked God to pardon him- for what he had done. AN ACT OF LOVE. He claimed l tliat hia act was one of great love. He decided not to give himself up till Monday, so as to learn that the children had ibeen properly buried. Williams concluded: “I seeds neither favour, nor mercy, only justice. If I am to-be hanged, let me he hanged. He urged the jury to take no notice of the plea of insanity, saying: “I do not raise it. As to being temporarily insane, I oannot say myself.” Williams at times was deeply affected and wept. 1 - “NO EXCUSE.” Th|e judge, summing up, said that Williams’s evidence showed that he knew what he was doing and the punishment involved. It was no excuse to say that he thought he was doing his children a kindness by killing them. The jury found Williams guilty with a strong recommendation to meroy.

THE DEATH SENTENCE. The judge, addressing. the prisoner, said that the motive whioh ho put forward for killing his ahildren was one which might appeal to the sentiments of some, but one whioh jwould not in any way be considered in his case. He then passed the sentence of death, adding that he could not hold out any hope of the sentence being commuted because of the jury’s recommendation.

At a late hour on February 6th threo little sisters named Williams, aged five, three, and two years, were found dead in bed at their home in Underwood street, Paddington, with their throats cut. Their father was missing, and tho police were searching for him. Later ho gave himself up-