CONSPIRACY TO MURDER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15820, 19 July 1913, Page 10

CONSPIRACY TO MURDER

POISON IN TEA.

SUBSTANTIAL SENTENCES.

Praia Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.

MELBOURNE, July 18. (Received Jnly 18, at 9.25 p.m.)

Clara Cowell and Louisa Berry, who pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiring to murder Mrs King last June, were each sentenced to eight , years' imprisonment with hard labour.

The Judge, in referring to the enormity of the offence, declared that he could not distinguish it from the case of assassins wiio. were paid to go out and kill. .

There was a large crowd at the court in Melbourne on June 20 when Clarice Maud Cowell (26), formerly a' saleswoman employed at Cole's Book Arcade, and Elizabeth Louisa Barry (26), formerly a, waitress in the Hopetoun Tearooms, Collins street, were charged with having, on June 7, at Ascot Vale, unlawfully conspired, confederated, and agreed, together to lull and murder Florence May King. Mr P. it. Ridgeway and Mr S. J. H. Stephen appeared for Oowoll, and Mr G. A. Maxwell for Barry.

Sub-inspector A. KenneaJly (for tho prosecution) stated that on being interviewed by det.ootivea.both Cowell and Barry had made • confessions.

■Florence May King said: "My (husband is a clerk in the parcels office of the Flinders Street Railway Station About four ninths ago Cowell called and asked if Mr • King was in, and I said, ' What do you want Mr King for?' and she answered, 'Business matters.' I said, ' Well, I am his wife, so cannot you tell mo what you want him for!' But she answered, ' Oh, Mr King would not care for me to.divulge his business to you' I got annoyed, and said, 'You do not go out of the gate until you tell me. I suppose you. are the creature -that camo hero on two occasions before and said you,were somebody else' The next time I saw her was about two.months ago, when we were at Ascot Vnie, -vhen I saw her at the gate. I had words with her, and slapped her across tho face, and she hit mo back. She pretended to faint, and fell' down. I said, 'Let her lie (here,' but my husband said, 'No; help to'carry her in, so as to avoid ■a scandal,' and we carried her into the house She insulted me right and left, even after I had taken her inside She also said,

'You will never have him,' meaning my husband. From what my husband told me, I suspected misconduct between them."

Witness, oonfcinuing, said: "On June 1 Barry came to my house and asked Mrs King lived there, and I said 'Yes.' She said, 'I am Mrs Rogers, from near Eohuca. You will not know me. I stayed at Mr King's iiotei in Ertwca last night, and Sie told me to take a paroe! for you toyour husband at tho porcefe office at Flinders Street Railway Station.' I said, ' Will you come inside?' I took hor to the sitting room and sat down. She said that she had called on my husband at the office during the morning, and also at 6 p.m., but he was not 1 there, and by coming straight to.me she had hrrried off without having any tea. I immediately said, ' Oh! I will make you some tea.' I poured out her tea ancj my own. While sho was sitting there she turned to my little child, who was in the room, and said, 'You should be in bed.' I then went out ami put the child to bed. On returning to the breakfast room I noticed l that my tea had a cloudy appearance, and that there was some pinkish powder on the top of the cup and on the traycloth. I put tho cup to my lips and the. tea tasted very .bitter. I did' not drink any, but did not make any remark She drank two- cups of tea..herself. And said, 'Oh, do have a little tea, Mrs King, to keep me company.' She left at 8.45' p.m., and we parted on tho best of terms. She wore a wedding ring, and also a buckta rinfr, on her Httlo finger, On Juno 10 I and my husband went ,to tho Government Analyst, and took tho tea with us. From what the analyst told us, I went to the detoctivp office with the tea and traydoth. Some day 3 later I went to the Detotive Office, and Detectivo Napthine showed me into a room where Barry was, and in her prewnce ho 3aid, 'Have you seen that woman beforfe?' I answered, 'Yes, that is tie woman tha 1 ; oame to mv house ind put poisoe in my cup.' Sho seemed very sorry, and raid that she did not mean to kill me. She went towards me, caught hold of my hand, and aeked me to forgive hev Sho said, ' Forgive me, Mrs King. I did not mean to kill you. I was glad when I saw that you did not drink the tea.' " Sub-inspector Kenneafly: What happened then? ...

Witness: "I said to her. 'Why did you do it? I never did yon or that other woman any harm in my life.' She replied, 'No, you did not' . I said, 'I am 6orry for von, but do not blame me.' She then went 'down on her knees and asked ma to forgive her." Percy Edward King said: " I know Cowell. whom I first ■knew in ■ September. 1911. I met her at tho parcels office, and I met her on the follotfine Sunday and went for a walk with,her."- After admitting that misconduct had taken place, he eaid: "She knew that I was a married man on tho first night that I met her. .She had ea-id that if over I left her she would kill my wife or me. About 6even weeks ago Cowell visited my place at Ascot Vale, and there was a disturbance. I 6a,id to ray wife: ' Carry her in, for my sake. I have had a whole' year of thi6.' I carried her into the house, and la-id her on the couch, and she soon came round. The two women commenced to. fight. Cowell got .hold of my wife by the nose and hair. I said to Cowell, ' For goodness' sake go out.' Cowell replied, ' I will not leave until my blouse is 6titchcd up.' My wife began to sympathise with Cowell. who said, 'You will never have liim.' My wife, after tho third fight, pinned up Cowell's blouse. I met Cowell about three times after that."

Mr Ridgcway: Cowell says that you introduced yourself to her when 6he was sending her puppy dog to Bendigo?—Yes, that is right And you made ah appointment with her? -Yes.

And on that occasion you told her that you were a married man? —Yes. M k r Ridgeway: Covyell will say that the first intimation sho had of you being married was when she saw the announcement in the paper of the birth of your child. Yon have written passionate love letters to Cowell. Wore you fooling her?—l had to do these things. Why?—AVer., her brain seemed to be gone, or something. She told me that when she was a girl of 16 a horse kicked her on the temple Mr Morrison, P.M.: Will you say that you wrote about 12 letters to Cowell breathing love and affection?— Witness: About six. *

Detectives Napthine and Brophy produced statements signed by both prisoners, in which they admitted purchasing poison and subsequently going to Mrs King's. Cowell said siio did not learn that King was married until i October 11. He told her that 6he' was the only girl he ever loved, and would not allow her to leave him. Dunn? the struggle bi King's house Cowell alleged that King struck her, knocked her down, and tried to choke her. On several occasions King had asked her to run away with him. She always thought he wanted to get. rid of his wife, and' wanted her (l.bwell) to marry him. Everything she had dune was becauso King- had driven her to it.