ALLEGED WIFE MURDER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15742, 6 February 1922, Page 3

ALLEGED WIFE MURDER.

(lilec; To].- Copy:ighi—United Press Assn.) iAustralian amt N.Z. Cable Association.i

LONDON, Feb. 3

A heavily veiled widow, whose name was not disclosed, gave evidence that she knew Armstrong prior to his wife’s death. After the latter was dead, Armstrong proposed to her. Though not formally engaged, she considered herself engaged to him.

Armstrong, a magistrate’s clerk, is charged with the murder of his wife and with attempting to administer arsenic to Oswald Martin, a Welsh solicitor. The prosecuting officer said that Mrs. Armstrong had inherited property on her mothers’ death in 1917. A will dated July 8, 1920, proved that she had left all to her husband, and nothing to the children. The,body of the uill was in the husband’s handwriting, and was witnessed by the servants. Counsel said that this revoked a previous will of 1917, leaving Armstrong an annuity of £SO, and dividing the property among the children, the draft of which had disappeared. Counsel alleged that the 1920 will was drawn up by the husband, and signed by the wife when under delusions, and was witnessed independently by the servants, in the belief that they were signing insurance papers.

The Crown alleged that Armstrong had slowly and steadily administered poison to his wife. Armstrong went to Italy and Malta on March 13. A diary found in his possession when he was arrested showed entiles of visits to plays, • concerts, and dances in the company of women, who were named. He returned to England on April 26, and within 24 hours of his arrival, discussed the question of marriage with another lady.