GUILTY OF MURDER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17957, 8 December 1932, Page 10

GUILTY OF MURDER

MOTHER CONVICTED i’-« *• i ■>i ?\ , -.v * a*/, I t'nti* FAMOUS TRIAL ENDS OTHER MURDER ALLEGATIONS CAPETOWN, Nov., 25... Probably the longest murder trial in South African history ended in Pretoria tofday, when Mrs Daisy Louisa <le Melker, wife of a well-known South African Rugby, player, was sentenced ltd death for the murder of her 20-yenr-old soil, Rhodes. Cecil Cowle.. Mrs do Melker had . been charged also with the murder of her two former husbands, William Alfred Cowle-and Robert Sprout, her motive, it was alleged, being to collect their insurances. The whole tangled' case contained a noising feat ures and is, likely to become a classic in poisoning .-.problems. The Crown Prolocutor, Mr C. C. Jarvis, alleged that Mrs do Melker had committed the crimes during the past 10 years; poisoning both,-her husbands by strychnine, after, they had jnadc wills in her favor, and her sou by arsenic, for the sake of an msUrmneo policy for £IOO. • Pot 53 days evidence was taken, and then .J udge* G roenberg, who sat -with jwo assessors, found that the huiruor •I" '■ .

charges in. connection with the deaths ftf the two husbands, were not proven. He convicted on the charge relating to the soil. ■ Evidence mainly turned on technical 'points, relating to the effects of the administration of strychnine and arsenic. Tn each case exhumation of Iho bodies had been ordered, and important Questions relating to the retention of poisons in a corpse long after interment were discussed. Expert witnesses were called, and •brilliantly cross-examined 'by Air Morris, counsel for the defence, and by Air Parvis, Crown Prosecutor. Mr Morris’ speech for the defence occupied four days. There wore many dramatic incidents in the course of the trial, which, however, mainly centred on medical interpretations of the symptoms of Mrs de Melker’s three alleged victims. Airs de Melker, aged about 50, up poured astounded at the verdict. She pad given evidence oh her own behalf witlr the most complete composure. . (The judge b decision undoubtedly satisfies 'public opinion. On January 1, 1020, she. married iSproat, who died on November 0, 1027, There were five children of the marriage with Cowle, all of whom died early, with . the except ion of Rhodes Cecil Cpwle. , 'Mrs de Melker?s brother said that she was previously engaged to a man

in Rhodesia, who died and left her sonic money. There was other evidence that while Mrs de Melker was in Rhodesia poison could be obtained with great ease and without registration or restriction, and that strychnine sold there had a pinkish coloration to distinguish it from other substances. SUDDEN DEATHS Cowle, a plumber, was employed by the Johannesburg Municipal Council, and worked up to the day before his (lentil without an illness. His wife benefited by over £l5O from a municipal provident fund. There was:also a will, leaving her a further £1245. Sprout, was also a municipal council plumber; and was employed until the day before his death, on November (5, * 1027. The wife again benefited from municipal funds to the extent of £550. Under a will Sprout also left her £4174. In tlm case of Rhodes Cowle, their son, there wfts a will in favor of Airs de Melker, bill the estate was of no.account, except for a.u insurance policy of £IOO, for which Mm de Melker paid the premiums. This was paid to her after her son’s death. When the body of William Cowle : wap exhumed traces of strychnine wore found, according to evidence. This . was also found when the other bodies were exhumed.

One witness described the signing of Sprout’s will in favor of the wife, who, it is alleged, had refused to wait until he recovered from an illness. Sprout, it Was .stated, had to bo held up while he added his name to the document.