ILFORD MURDER CASE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18748, 29 December 1922, Page 5

ILFORD MURDER CASE

DRAMATIC END OF TRIAL. FRENZIED PROTESTATIONS. LONDON, December 12. Extraordinary scenes were witnessed in the Old Bailey, when Bywaters and his accomplice, Mrs Thompson, were sentenced to death for the murder of Percy Thompson, at Ilford. Mrs Thompson fell back unconscious into the arms of the wardresses, and Bywaters was led below' frenzicdly protesting his innocence. When * the verdict was pronounced the Court was hushed, save for the sobbing of women and others, who had struggled hard to gain places to hear the verdict. Some did not hear it. Overwrought with the tension and exhausted they had fainted. The most pathetic figures were the mothers of both accused, who collapsed in the court, and were carried out. The verdict contained no recommendation to mercy. When Bywaters was asked the usual question as to what he wished to sav to the verdict, ho replied with an outburst of protestation of his innocence. Both accused shouted words to the Jtidge with their fists clenched and their eyes glaring. ' The Judge, who had donned the black cap, pronounced the sentence. Once or twice Bvwaters opened his mouth, but was unable to speak. When the same question was put to Mrs Thompson, she presented the most tragic figure. Dressed in widow’s weeds, she was supported by two wardresses. At first she was unable to do more than moan: “Oh! Oh!” Then Bywaters was led below. He paused long enough to hear his guilty consort’s frenzied cry, and to see her collapse, unconscious, in the arms of the wardresses. “I am not guilty! Oh, my God! lam not guilty!” Such was Mrs Thompson’s half-frenzied cry after the verdict. Bywaters said: “I say that the verdict is wrong. Edith Thompson is not, a murderer. I am no assassin.” Though the iury deliberated for three hours, there seemed no doubt regarding Bvwaters’s fate after the Judge’s summing up, though there was some doubt as to how far the jury would regard Thompson as guilty. The Judge alluded to the importance of the letters in deciding the ousstiou of whether both had arranged tjie affair. In such cases, evidence was usually difficult to'obtain. He read many extracts, but was mostly contented with placing the prosecution’s and defence’s constructions side by side. When the Judge turned and thanked the jury for their services, the Court slowly cleared, with the exception of the women who had fainted, and were still being tended. Outside in the large hall were several sobbing, overstrung women. In contrast with these was the one woman juror engaged in the case;. She remained composed throughout.) but paled when the death sentence y*t.s passed. Nevertheless, she resolutely turned her face to the prisoners. The news of the approaching conclusion of the trial caused eitr wrv] tPra in dallv in the precincts of the Old Bailev, instead of retnniing to their homes, with the result that hundreds awaited the verdict. To enable witnesses to depart, the mounted nolioe cleared an avenue through I tip crowd. Everv vehicle mnsing from the courtyard was hooted faintlv. but two taxi-cabs, containing the prisoners, seemed to attract no attention.