“MONEY FOR ZOO.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16353, 16 February 1921, Page 4

“MONEY FOR ZOO.”

BOY’S SHOCKING CRIME. LONDON, February 5. A remarkable written confession by a sixteen-year-old boy named Donald Luton, charged with the murder of a septuagenarian widow, Mrs Seabrook, on January 27, was read in the Children’s Court. The confession stated : **T wanted money ;o go to the Zoo at Easter, so I got a hammer from the and entered Mrs Sea brook’s cottage, opening the window, and pushing back the bolt of tho door. Finding no money in the kitchen or the front room, I went upstairs, where I saw Mrs Seabrook in bed - There was no money on the table. T went out, but Mrs Seabrook ; woke and came to the door and saw me. “ T became frightened and struck her with the hammer. She rushed to tho window' and tried to open it. but I pulled her bark to the floor, an I again hit her with the hammer. I van downstairs and buried the hammer in another garden, and when I returned T met Mrs Seabrook descending the* stairs. “ I pushed her over, and struck hpr with a poker every trm© sbo> tried to rise. A chair fell into the fire. T Tan off and went down into tho well. I thought I would try to drown myself, but when I fell into the water I struggled, and ascended again by pressing my feet and back on opsides of tlio well. “ T 'returned home, took off my clothes, and put them in a pail, and eat in front of the fire.” The boy gave himself up to tho police because he was worrying, and wanted to get the affair off his mind. Ho was Temanded.