A CRIME MYSTERY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 926, 20 September 1910, Page 5

A CRIME MYSTERY.

THE BATTERSEA CASE. VERDICT OF WILFUL MURDER. By Telegraph—Press.Association—Copyright .* ' London, September 18. The inquest regarding the death of Weldon Anderson, an actor, in July last, resulted in a verdict of wilful murder against a person unknown. Thomas Anderson, a 6on. of tho deceased, and Miss Earle, detailed the story of the murder and of Miss Earle's Intrigue with the murdered man. The, police, who. are satisfied that young Anderson and Earle are telling the truth, are without a clue. - THREE QUESTIONS. The "Daily Mail" of July 25 states: Five hours' public, inquiry at the Battersea Coroner's Court on Saturday .(July 23), served to elucidate , several minor points in the mystery of the murder of Thomas Weldon Anderson, ofAtherstone, while leaving the important questions entirely without answer. These questions are: Who' killed Anderson on the night of July 16 in the garden behind 17 . Prince of Wales Road, Battersea, where Miss Elizabeth Earle, ..teacher of dramatic art, occupies a flat? What was Anderson doing in' the empty flat below that in. which his son; and .. Miss Earle were'at supper? ■'■•'..', Why did Anderson go into the garden of the flat wearing felt slippers and carrying .a home-made 'life-pre-server''?" The points cleared up were that Anderson had for a long time given unbridled expression to feelings of jealousy, as shown by a statement made to the police by Miss Earle, and the production of a diary kept by the dead man; and that a quarrel, followed by a separatipn, occurred eight ..weeks ago. ' In addition to these facts, the coroner, Mr. Troutbeck, elicited as. complete a, •description of the man. who was seen running away—presumably the murderer— as possible.. There were discrepancies in the descriptions • given by . the witnesses, but he was apparently a man between twenty-seven and thirty years, of age, of medium height, muscular, and accustomed to athletic exercise's, belonging to the middle class, probably clean-shaven,, and wearing, a dark jacket suit. ■'_ :. In adjourning the inquest until September 17, in order to give the police time for further inquiry, Mr. Troutbeck stated that, three important witnesses ~ Miss Earle, Mr. T. -F. -Anderson"' (the dead man's eldest son), and another had yet to bo called. Miss. Earle.. who drove .up to the court heavily veiled, remained in. the.witness-room during Saturday's inquest.- <■■■.... Statement by Miss Earle. At the, inquest on July' 23, Detectiveinspector Badcock said ho interviewed Miss Elizabeth Earle, who ..said; ■/';■•■" "Thomas Weldon Anderson,'now lying dead, was an actor whose stage namo was Weldon Atherstone. About 8.30 or - 8.45 to-night (the night of the murder), his son Thomas.Frederick called upon me by appointment.. I. had known him from a boy,' and he had always-visited me.'. On his arrival we sat and.talked in the front sitting-rooni, and-we had supper in the kitchen. While doing so, we. heard two : shots in quick succession. Going, in the scullery adjoining, and' opening the,door leading to thebaclc stairs and looking out, we viw a man, scrambling over the wall, dividing our; back from the adjoining one to the right of us.; I wauted. to go down to see what the matter 'was; but Mr. Anderson would not let me. We resumed our meal, thinking some one might . have beon, firing to scare a thief. '.I-last .saw. .Mr. Thomas Anderson . seven weeks ago, when: he stayed to tea, and- we were happy together.';. The time before -that when' I' saw . him was eight weeks ago; He seemed sulky,.'. and we quarrelled. He struck,me. I called for help. I went out. into the.parlour, and when I returned he was gone. He had said; -'It's all over,* meaning our friendship. As he had been' frequently jealous, because CI had male pupils I gnve : thorn up a year ago and had got used to .his jealousy. ,1 know no''one- who. has ■. any ill-feeling against, him. I,was more like a mother-to .his boys, tho elder, of whom I- have, taken great interest in and instructed."-'

■ The medical witnesses had' .found scratches, and .abrasions, on Anderson's face v which , pointed to .■ a short severe struggle, having place. . The shots had been fired at close quarters.