MURDER OF MRS CASH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 9980, 4 May 1911, Page 5

MURDER OF MRS CASH.

DISPOSAL OF HER PROPERTY. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. Thursday. An important case, involving the question of whether a murderer should gain by his own act, came before the Bunrome Ouurt to-day. The action was brought by the Public Trustee, administrator of the estate of Charlotte Cash, late of Helensville, Auckland. Last December Mrs Cash was murdered by her husband, who was tried at Auckland and found guilty of wilful murder and sentenced to death, sentence being subsequently commuted to ituprisoument for life.

Mrs Gash died intestate, and administration of her estate was granted to the Public Trustee. She left no issue, and under ordinary circumstances her estate would have gone to her husband.

The questiou now aroso as to whether the policy of the law should allow any benefit to accrue to a criminal by his own act; iv other words, should the murderer inherit lus victim's property? Three cases were mentioned by counsel for the Public Trustee in his argument—namely, Fauntleroy's case in 1825, Mrs Maybrick's case in 1890, and Nora Orippen's case in March last.

Mr Justine Chapman reserved his decision.