ROTHERHITHE TRAGEDY

Otago Witness, Issue 3673, 5 August 1924, Page 19

ROTHERHITHE TRAGEDY

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. A REMARKABLE LETTER. LONDON, July 50. At the resumed inquest on William Holmes and George Kay (the former of whom committed suicide after shooting Kay dead in a steet at Rotherhithe .ast week, a verdict was returned that Holmes murdered Kay, and then committed suicide while of unsound mind. It was believed at the time that both were in love with the .same schoolmistress, and at the inquest the police produced a remarkable letter, in which Holmes told a Miss Frankise : “When you receive this you wiil be free from a scoundrel, who is ruining your life. He will be dead, and you will be free, and you are young enough to start life afresh. I have told Kay plainly that he shall not do as he likes with you, or I will kill him. Kay came to you for comfort. You became friendly with Mrs Kay while you were stealing her man. I am endeavouring to give you a fresh start. You are bound to be dragged in. It were better to think of you in my arms than lying to shield a beastly married man. You will give evidence at the inquest, and content yourself with denying that there was any harm in the friendship. Give up reading Wells, and keep clear of married men. Get rid of your love of a theatrical nfe, and return to your motto: ‘Pure, free, and unabashed.’ Do not translate it into ‘shameless.’ ’’ Miss Frankise gave evidence that she the school in 1921, and became friendly with both men. She went out walks and to theatres with Holmes, who twice proposed to her. She refused him. She had never been engaged. Her relations with Kav were those of the ordinary friendship of colleagues. There was never the least impropriety between them. The head mistress of the school at which the deceased taught gave evidence that Kay, after six weeks’ illness in 1923, declared that Holmes had tried to poison him with strychnine, and had admitted that he had made a mess of it, and threatened to make a better job next time.