POISONING A WIPE.- SENTENCE OF DEATH.

Kumara Times, Issue 3096, 5 October 1886, Page 2

POISONING A WIPE.- SENTENCE OF DEATH.

Alfred Reynolds, the wife poisoner, who it was stated in a Sydney telegram yesterday is to be executed on Friday next, the Bth inat., appears to have been very callous as to his fate. In this case, wrote the Sydney correspondent to the Melbourne Argus on the 23rd August, the murderer forced his wife to take the poison (opium) by threatening to kill her instantly if she did not do so. He not only did this, but he made her write a statement declaring that she had taken the poison voluntarily, because she wished to end her life, and the paper ended with the tell-tale sentence that she made the statement ‘ without fear or force.’ The husband, a stonemason, named Alfred Reynolds, living at Newtown, confessed the murder to the constable who apprehended him; but at the inquest he would say scarcely anything, and he behaved in such a strange way as to suggest that he was not right in his mind. It seems difficult to account for the crime excepting on the theory of insanity, for the murdered woman committed no worse fault, so far as can be ascertained, than to spend, in buying something for the house, the paltry sum of two shillings which her husband bad given her for the payment of a bill.” At the inquest the principal evidence taken was that of the analytical chemist, who had analysed the contents of the stomach of the deceased. His examination rendered it perfectly clear that the deceased had died from opium poisoning, and showed that the stomach had not been pumped out and washed as should have been done by the medical man who was called to attend the deceased. The other evidence related to a quarrel which Reynolds had with his wife on the Sunday before her death, when be threatened that be would kill her. It also transpired that Reynolds, while under arrest, had made u statement, admitting that he gave poison to his wife, but that he only did it to frighten her because she had done wrong. He did not think that it would do her any harm. The trial took place on the 31st August, when Reynolds was convicted on his own confession of the murder of his wife, and sentenced to death. The prisoner appeared perfectly resigned to his fate, and showed a desire to have the matter disposed of as soon as posirib!''. While the judge was making a few remarks preparatory to pronouncing sentence, Reynolds twice interrupted him, displayed impatience, and

said to his Honor, “Como to the sentence, and have done with it!” He did not show the slightest emotion when the sentence was pronounced.