THE SEDDON MURDER TRIAL

Southland Times, Issue 16957, 5 February 1912, Page 5

THE SEDDON MURDER TRIAL

By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. LONDON, February 2. Mr and Mrs Seddon have been committed for trial on the charge of murdering Eliza Barrow, who was lodging with them, and who was induced by the Sedclons to give them her property, including £I6OO worth of India stock, in consideration of their paying her £3 weekly for life. Witnesses testified that Mrs Seddon negotiated bank notes alleged to belong to Miss Barrow, and also that the Seddons’ daughter purchased arsenical flypapers. The post-mortem showed that the body was saturated with arsenic.

At the North London Police Court on December 5 Frederick Henry Seddon, a district superintendent of the London and Manchester Assurance Company, and residing at Tollington Park, was charged with the murder of Miss Eliza Mary Barrow, a lady of Independent means, whose body had been exhumed by the district coroner's instructions. At the Inquest It was stated that deceased had been lodging with the Seddons, and that a certificate had been given that her death was due to enteritis. When on the witness stand Seddon said that Miss Barrow went to his house as a lodger in July,. 1910. She owned considerable property, for which in consideration of her transferring the lease of a public-house in Camden Town to his he allowed her £SO a year. He thought the house would bring in £l2O a year clear, but had taken into account the possibility of her living 10 or 15 years after the lease had expired. He had also granted the deceased an annuity in consideration of her transferring to him India Stock sold for £1520, allowing her altogether £? 2s a week. As she lived in his house rent free, Seddon contended that there was very little difference in her position. He also said that by her will Miss Barrow left all her property in trust for two children of an uncle, and appointed him sole executor. Detective-Inspector Ward said he went to Tollington Park to see prisoner and told him he had to arrest him for the wilful murder of Eliza Mary Barrow by administering poison—arsenic. He said; "Absurd. What a terrible charge. Wilful murder. It is the first of our family that has ever been accused of such a crime. Are you going to arrest my wife as well ? If not I would like you to give her a message for me. Have they found arsenic In her body ? She has not done this herself.” Prisoner’s-statement was as follows ;—“lt was not carbolic acid, was it. as there was some in her room, and Sanitas is not poison, is it ?” The' prisoner, when asked if he had any questions to put to the witness, said : "I have no recollection about the statement. (Addressing the witness) : Did you find carbolic —did you find arsenic, Inspector Ward ?”—What you said was this : You asked me if they had found arsenic in her body. That was after you told me they had ? —Certainly. Prisoner : “She had not done this herself.” I never said that. I said : “It was not carbolic acid, was it ?” I know there was carbolic acid in the room. That was why I said it, hut I did not say : "She has not done this herself.” The witness said that his statement was correct.