DOUBLE TRAGEDY AT A FARM

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2094, 31 May 1907, Page 1

DOUBLE TRAGEDY AT A FARM

JEALOUS LOVER’S CRIME, MURDER AND SUICIDE. A terrible tragedy, apparently the outcome of a love affair, has occurred at tho Rookery Farm, Preston Deanery, Northampton, Lewis Jones, a labourer, killed Winifred Griffiths, a domestic servant, by cutting her throat, and then committed suicide by hanging. Rookery Farm is occupied by a Welsh family named Robert, wh(\ have been there a, year. They, came from North West' Wales, bringing with them Jones, who hailed from Gaerwen, Anglesey.

Griffiths, a dark compfexioued, pr.etty girl, was the sister of Mrs. Roberts,’and a native of Dohvyddolon, Carnarvon, Griffiths was nineteen years old, and Jones twenty-two and both lived and slept in the farmhouse.

Generally they rose about five in tho morning. Both got up earlier than usual On the morning of April Ist, without being roused by Mrs. .'"Roberts, but nothing was Jiyia’d to, indicate the terrible tragedy that was being enacted. Soon after five Mrs. Roberts went downstairs and called out for her sister, There was no response, and Mrs. Roberts out of the kitchen into the yard at the back of the house, where she saw the girl’s body lying on the ground, with her head hanging over the sin FINGERPRINTS IN BIjQQR. There was s\ wcjunJ in the throat extending from, ear to ear, and a few feet away lay the bloodstained blade of a razor. - Assistance was summoned, and a search was made for Jones. Following a trail of blood spats the searchers wove led to a Dutch barn half a milo front the farmhouse. There a ladder was found leaning against the iron girders in the roof, and on thp sides of the ladder were thpmhmarks printed in. blood. A broken rope indicated that Jones had attempted to

hang liimsolf; but had not succeeded. It was a thin guide rope, used to stoer horses drawing tho plough, and it. hud been severed by the sharp edgo of a girder. Half a mile from the barn Jones was found hanging from the branch of an ash tree, into which lie had climbed, and from which, after fastening a rope to a hough, and placing itilio noose round his neck, he had cast himself. Ho had not quite completed dressing, his hoots being unfastened. In one of his pockets was the handle of the razor blade discovered near tlie girl’s body.

THE OTHER MAN.

Jealousy is suposed to have been the motivo of the crime. Griffiths had not responded to tho advances mado by Jones, and had for tho last ten days been courted by a laborer named Raino, by whom she was taken home on Wednesday uiglit, when tho •pair were seen by Jones. Griffiths was evidently killed while going to the coal shed, for, although tho kitchen fire had been lighted, no coals had been.placcd in the grate. At tho inquest the jury returned verdicts of “Wilful murder” and “Felo do se” against Jones. .