Otago Witness Illustrations

Otago Witness, Issue 2691, 11 October 1905, Page 39

Otago Witness Illustrations

AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

Our London . correspondent writes on August 19: — A most extraordinary and highly sensa-

tional case came before the Ma rlbo rough Street Police Court yesterday. Mr Hugh "Watt, formerly M.P. for Glasgow, was charged with endeavouring to procure the murder of his first wife, from whom he wa= •divorced. It may be remembered that four

years ago Sir Reginald Beauchamp obtained a divorce from his wife, Lady Violet Beau- , ohamp, on account of her misconduct with Mr Watt, against whom he also obtained damages to the large amount of £10,000. jln 1902 Mrs Watt sued Lady Violet I for libel, and obtained a verdict for £5000,

which was afterwards reduced to £1250 on appeal; but in April last Mrs Watt carried the case to the House of Lords, which ordered a new trial. The libel was contained in a l&tter written by Lady Violet to Mr Watt, which, it was alleged, was>

designed to alienate his affections from his wife. In March, 1903, Mrs Watt obtained ' a divorce on the ground of her husband's misconduct with Lady Violet, and in the following September Mr Watt married Lady Violet. The next appearance in court was m November last, when Lady Violet and

Mr Watt charged Mrs Watt with perjury in connection with the libel suit; but that action was afterwards dropped. The latest phase of this queer case has arisen through information being laid by an inquiry agent named Marshall to the effect that Mr Watt had offered him inducements to entice

the first Mrs Watt into a room which had been prepared, where Mr Watt would promptly administer a fatal dose of chloroform. dropping some peppermint essence between her lips to disguise _ the odour, and sending Marshall off hurriedly to fetch a doctor. The doctor, it was

assumed, would certify the cause of death as heart disease, and arrangements would be made to have thei body cremated within 4-8 hours. Marshall was to receive £5000 for his services in this matter. Marshall declares that at the close of the interview he went straight to Soot land Yard and told

the amazing story, which he duly repeated in the Police Court yesterday, Mr Watt having been immediately arrested on warrant. Sergeant Fowler, who was called as a witness, deposed that both the chloroform and the peppermint were found in Mr Watt's residence, but Mr Watt's counsel

declared that • he coxild prove that both drugs had been used for two years past by Mr Watt's present wife, formerly Lady Violet Beauehamp. At this stage the ease was adjourned ; but naturally it continue* to be a prominent topic of conversation, speculation, and conjecture.