THE CHRISTCHURCH TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 499, 26 October 1909, Page 3

THE CHRISTCHURCH TRAGEDY.

THE TWO LETTERS

Christchurch, October 23

The inquest touching the death of Alice Edith Newman, who was shot dead in the Silver Grid on Monday night, was resumed before Mr W. R. Haselden, coroner, and a jury of six this morning. The accused, Roberts, was again in Court, in charge of two constables.

Constable Evans said that, on October 19, he was searching for Roberts in the Prebbleton district. On arrival at the Prebbleton Hotel, about* 11.30 a.in ,he quietly entered tire bar. Roberts was there, leaning on the counter writing a letter. Roberts put the letter in his pocket. • Witness put his hand in Roberts’s pocket, and found a revolver (produced), loaded in six chambers. Witness took the revolver and ammunition. He handcuffed Roberts, and then charged him with the murder of Alice Newman. He replied : “ You’ve got the wrong man this time.' 1 A few minutes later he took the letter (produced) he had been writing from his pocket, and threw it behind him. Witness picked it up, and Roberts asked him to destroy it. Roberts then took another letter (produced) from his pocket, and tore it in half. He again asked witness to destroy them, as they would do him harm.

The coroner then read the two letters to thejuiy, who afterwards examined them. The first letter, which was addressed “Dear Mr Burns,” was as follows “ Excuse me for writing you these few lines, but I could not live without Alice. lam taking my own life now, and I am sorry I did not take that life who was trying to do me of it. We’ve a child, and I hope you will get somebody to look after it. If it had been near us at the time I would have done for the poor little chap rather than see him homeless in this world. Might God forgive me for doing such a thing, but I could not see her messing around other fellows. So, Mr Burns, you might do me a favour by letting my people know about this sad thing. Write to Mrs Sinclair, 47 Ure Sreet, Govan, Glasgow.”

The letter bore the signature “A Roberts,” which, however, had been deleted. The second letter was in the form of a poem, and was written on the back of a letter to Roberts from his mother in Glasgow. It was as follows : “ Whoever finds this send it home to my mother. ‘■Dear mother, I cannot live without her, However much I try. When I think of our troubles, How bitterly I cry. I think it will be better, When underneath the clay, When our souls meet together In that bright land forever.” The letter was signed, “ Your broken-hearted sou.”

Continuing his evidence, Constable Evans said he found a box of cartridges on accused. At 12.X0 p.m. the jury retired, and an hour later returned the following verdict: —

“ That the said Alice Edith Newman died at Christchurch on October 18, 1909, from a bullet wound inflicted by Arthur John Wilson Roberts, and that the said Arthur John Wilson Roberts did murder the said Alice Edith Newman.”

Roberts will appear at the Magistrate’s Court next Wednesday on a charge of murder.

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