DOCTOR GRIM ADVENTURE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1047, 23 May 1912, Page 4

DOCTOR GRIM ADVENTURE.

L,ADY MUIiDiiRKD WHIKK

COOKING

A murder mystery in a quiet, semi-detached villa in Kingsley avenue, West Haling, provided a grim adventure cue Tuesday afteruoou last month tor Dr George Phillips, a local medical man, who was then on his round of visits.

it was lunch time, and Kingsley Avenue was deserted except tor an organ-grinder, who, as usual on Tuesday altetuoons, at that hour, was playing at the corner oi the avenue, ills music suddenly slopped. A grey-haired woman had rushed from the front door of one of the villas in which two elderly spinster sisters, the Misses Baker, lesmed. She ran over to a neighbour, and cried : "My sister Sophia has been shot by a man ; send tor help." Dr Phillips' motor car was standing outside the house ol a p dLnt in St. Stephen’s road, close ny, and his chauffeur having called him out, he hurried round to tue house with the open halldoor.

Inside everything was quiet, but when Dr Phillips entered he found in the kitchen, lying by the fireplace, the body of Miss Sophia Baker, who had been shot down white preparing dinner lor Arthur James Benbow, who, for the last three weeks, had rented rooms from the sisters.

Miss Sophia Baker had been killed by a bullet from a toy revolver while her sister was away shopping. As Dt Phillips went in, having sent his car off for the police, he round Beubow, a cleanshaven man of fifty, in the hallway, strolling up and down excitedly. ihe Italian organ-grinder had meanwhile left his organ ana was standing near the door to close with anyone who tried to escape from the house.

Nothing unusual had been beard between 10 and r. 30 p.m. u i ie u the otber_ Miss Baker returned. Miss Sophia Baker had then been lying there some hours.

The doctor, who is a powerfully built man, held Benbow until his car returned with two policemen, and laier the local detectives charged Benbow with the murder.

Benbow was a man of independent means, a civil engineer, and was formerly a medical student.