CRIME IN AUSTRALIA.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17782, 6 August 1929, Page 7

CRIME IN AUSTRALIA.

ALLEGED WIFE MURDER. BODY EXHUMED. ADMINISTRATION OF POlSON(Australian Pre a s Association.) SYDNEY, August 5. Detectives are closely investigating the mysterious illness of Mrs Helena Pearson, a native of New Zealand, at the Sydney Hospital. To-night they arrested her husband, Walter Rufus Pearson, aged 55, a painter, on a charge of wife murder in October 1923. The police state that Pearson was three times married, the first time about 10 years ago, and the second in 1923. The body of his second wife was exhumed a few days ago, and a report from the analyst is awaited. Pearson is further charged with having administered chloride of zinc to his present wife between April and August 5 with intent to murder her.

LATER. BAIL REFUSED. WIFE’S FOOD ANALYSED. EXTRAORDINARY COINCIDENCE. (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.— Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) (Received August 6, 10.10 a.m.) SYDNEY, August 6. Pearson was refused bail. AH food taken to his present wife in hospital w-as seized and analysed. An extraordinary feature is that Pearson lives next door to the house formerly occupied by Mrs William Minahan, whose funeral was held up on July 22 by the police, who took charge of the body. BANDITS ARRESTED. WOMAN SHOT AT. (Australian Press Association.) SYDNEY, August 5. Two masked robbers, who had secreted themselves in a butcher’s shop at Redfern owned by Michael Briggs, this evening bound and gagged Briggs, covered him with revolvers and commenced to hunt for cash. The intruders discovered a bottle of whisky and impudently consumed a large portion of the contents. A woman neighbour heard the men threatening Briggs arid she telephoned to the police, who dashed to the scene in a motor-car. They arrested the bandits but not before a shot had been fired by one of them at the woman who had given the alarm.