MONTE CARLO TRUNK MURDER RECALLED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17991, 30 October 1926, Page 10

MONTE CARLO TRUNK MURDER RECALLED.

j BROTHER’S CRIME LEADS ' TO TITLE FINDING RIGHTFUL OWNER. I The death at Adelaide of Sir \ James Stephen Goold, Baxfc., not j only recalls a great romance of t-he I aristocracy, but also the singular train of events that led to his as sumption of the title. For many years the late baronet worked as a railway ganger at Gladstone, South Australia- and was in fact “ Sir James ” for fourteen years before his identity was discovered. The world wide publicity given to the arrest of his brother, Vere Goold, in connection with the Monte Carlo trunk mystery, established that James, the railway ganger, was heir to the title. Fortune smiles queerly upon some people, and iii the case'of Sir James i Stephen Goold. his “ luck ” was more showy than real. For years he worked as a ganger on the railway. His father had migrated from England many years before. He had heard talk that “'if everybody had their rights ” there should be a title in the family. Indeed, Vere, the brother of James, who left Australia and adopted a life of spectacular adventure, had actually sometimes called himself Sir In 1893 the holder of the baronetcy died in England, and it was assumed the title was extinct. Early in 1907 Uncle Vere had turned up at Adelaide with a dashing young wife, and had related wonderful tales of his great fortune and importance. His real business in life was that of a:i adventurer and gambler. His skill at cards was almost uncanny, and the great casinos of the world knew him well. Unscrupulous, he was not above robbing some of the ladies he encountered : talk of love, at which he shone very well, interested the fair creatures Many lost their jewels and their reputation through their association with handsome and showy Vere Goold. The Evil Genius. Mrs Vere Goold was a woman who pjassed as a fine looking blonde at the first inspection. Touched, so far as her steel-like nature could be touched, by the ardent wooing of Vere, she capitulated. life had intended to rob and desert her. But there was a dramatic moment when she revealed she, too, was in the “ profession, ’’ that she felt an admiration for the talents of the showy gentleman, and suggested they should henceforth hunt as a couple legally joined, as it might prove more profitable. This was the woman that arrived at Gladstone to scan somewhat contemptuously a typical Australian home and homely brother James. “ A Rich Fool. ” It was, of course, obvious that the visit would prove a failure. By some means they raised funds to get to Sydney. There the old game was played again, and it would seem with success: the husband gambled, and the wife acted as “ decoy. ” Soon they were off to Europe, and settled down in Paris to batten upon the American and English tourists. There came a stroke of luck, as it seemed, although Fate turned the trick in sinister fashion. They stumbled across a “ rich fool, ” as the wife described her—Madame Levine, a Swedish lady who had come into a fortune. It was really- ail so easy to these ex perienced swindlers. Madame was inexperienced, eager, to see life, and, tired of widowhood, was looking for a husband. Vere Goold hinted broadly that he was of aristocratic blood, talked of his estates in England, and of his wealthy relatives. The wife became the confidante of the blonde widow, who made suggestions as to dress, promised to find influential friends, and hinted at suitors. All wen 1 merry as the marriage bells that sounded ahead}*- in imagination. In October it was suggested that the trio should leave for Monte Carlo. But there must be preparations. Rich jewels must be purchased to deck the expectant bride; the wardrobe replenished;' nothing left undone to give the impression of wealth and birth. And always Vere Goold and his wife received huge plunder for the commissions they executed for Madame Levine who called them “mv very dearest friends. ” Still with Swedish carefulness madame hung back at times and grew frightened at the sums she had spent Growing impatient, the Goolds decided to sieze all she had—money, jewels, clothes and trinkets—and to decamp. “ She Must Die. ” By a ruse they succeeded in getting her out of the way on a false errand. Now was the time, and with feverish haste they packed her valuables in seven huge trunks. By a mischance the woman returned too soon. Vere, with smooth words, was hastening to explain the awkward situation, j when his wife, in a sudden spasm believed to be half compounded of jealousy, dropped the mask and assailed the dupe with bitter words. In vain Vere interposed: too late. The adventuress shone forth as the hard mercenary and the " woman scorned ” —for this was her defence at her subsequent trial.. According to the confession made later, Mrs Goold struck the first blow. A second followed, a short axe being used. Then with his long white hand-: Vere strangled the struggling, shrieking woman; for far down in the bottom of the house the concierge reported afterwards hearing “ one long wailing scream. ” The deed was done. How dispose of the. body? That was the problem. But a few months before that a Saratoga trunk, fished from Lake Como, had brought to light the hideous crime of Charlton, the American who had slain his young bride on' a honeymoon tour. The Ghastly Incubus. The trunk! Doubtless the idea of Charlton now occurred to the pair as they dicussed ways and means for getting rid of the incubus, that witness of their crime. The wife, more fiendish than her mate. “ hacked and cut and j chopped, until the body was fitted into J the trunk. ” The guilty pair made their way to j the railway .station, and took train to , Marseilles. On arriving there they ‘ deposited it in the cloakroom and fled j to Paris. j Suspicion, aroused by the effluvia i emanating from the trunk* led to its i being opened. It was not long before | the hue and cry was after Mr and Mrs ■ Vere Goold, and their arrest was soon I effected. \ The world-wide publicity of this ; ghastly murder concentrated attention * upon the identity of Vere Goold. Who j was he? What station in life his I family? By a twist of fortune’s wheel j the information Teacfied a firm of soliI citors, who established that James Goold, elder brother of the murderer, was the actual heir to a baronetcy that had seemed extinct. While Vere languished in a prison cell James assumed the title. The End of the Ro&d.

that Mrs Goold was the instigating party to the murder, struck the first blow, and cut up the victim. She was sentenced to death, but the sen tence was commuted to penal servitude for life. Vere Goold, who testified against his wife and acted a somewhat ignoble part, was ordered to be detained ir rigorous confinement for “ the- term his natural years ” The- crushing rigours 'of solitary confinement quickly undermined his constitution. He fell into deep .Melancholy, refused to eat, and on the verge of what is significantly termed “ gaol madness, “ died in the second 3'ear of his imprisonment. Seven years later a haggar* a:id aged woman died in prison. It was Mrs Goold, who made a full /onfessimi <;t her crime to a priest tyfore the end