MUKDER OF MISS CALDWELL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15824, 24 July 1913, Page 7

MUKDER OF MISS CALDWELL

WRIGHT TO BE EXECUTED. Piew Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, SYDNEY, July 23. (Received July 23, at 9.30 p.m.) The Cabinet has decided that Wright,. who murdered Miss Caldwell, in June, shall be executed. William George Wright, aged 22 years, was placed on trial on June 10. before Mr ' Justice Pring and a jury, on a charge of tho wilful murder of Myrtle Stella Caldwell,. , aged 22 years, at Fig Tree, on tho Lane' Cove River. ; It was shown that Wright had been keeping company with the girl for about seven months. On February 13 they went to Lane Cove River together. In the evening ' the girl was found lying in g,'shelter ehed, suffering from a bullet wound in the head. Sho died two days Inter. On the night-, of ■ tho shooting Wripjht shot himself in tho ' head with a revolver when the police were /* entering the place whero ho resided. He . recovered. In evidence tho dead woman's father said that he knew that Wright had suffered in a mining accident in England some years ago, and he had told ln'3 daughter that Wright was not physioally fit to marry'. Police Constable Williarn Gorman deposed - that at _ the hospital Wright, who 6pojt9 ' : first, said: "I took a revolver from my pocket, and put mv arnt round her neck. She screamed, and said, ' Don't, Will, ' don't; I will marry you.' I said, 'No, you won't,' and I shots her. I heard someone coming, and ran away. The reason I did the deed was because I could not mqrry her myself, and' I wanted to make sure no one else would."

Wright, in evidence on oath, 6aid: " Slyrtlo and I had frequently spoken of marriage, and it was not 'until I had told Mr Caldwell about my injuries that any objection was ra : eed to it. Myrtle's eldest sister told her father to tell Myrtle me up. Myrtle told mo that therd was always trouble about me.' She told me that) she had poison to take to end her life bccause overybody in the house was gettingon to her. She said, 1 1 intend to do away with myself.' I said, 'If you do, I will]' When wo jvere qt Lane Cove River I had a revolver in my hip pocket. Wo talked, about my going away. Wo walked to tho shelter shed. I walked out of tho shed. When walking baok I heard the report of a revolver. Feeling for my revolver, and finding it gone, I rushed into tho 6hed. Myrtle was lying down, with the revolver besido her."

The jury returned a verdit of guilty, and sentence of death was recorded; ' I

Wright: "Now (hat I havo been found guiltj ? , I hope the death sentence will 'be carried out."