MURDER AT WANGANUI

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4450, 10 May 1930, Page 3

MURDER AT WANGANUI

GIRL’S THROAT CUT. LOVER. IN CUSTODY. Wanganui, May 9. Lying on her bed at her mother’s residence in Ridgwav St., Wagnanui at half-past three this afternoon, n woman, 22 years old, was murdered by a man to whom she was recently engaged. He cut her throat with a butcher's knife. The young woman managed to struggle downstairs to the kitchen whore her mother was sitting, but when the door opened she fell forward on her face dead. The man, who ran away after committing the deed, gave himself up to the police at six o'clock this evening.

The murdered woman’s name was Gladys Cromarty, who lived with her mother and sister at 6 liidgway Sl., Wanganui. The. murderer is Herbert Frederick Manlov, it chef, iiged about 38 years, who Inis been staying with the family for some lime. His engagement to Miss Cromarty was announced three months ago, but wits broken o IT quite recently. ITe was divorced from his wife in England, and laid two sons. It is said that he worked in Wellington.

As far as can be gathered, Manley went tn Miss Cromarty’s bedroom where she was lying asleep, was only partly clad, having apparently taken off her dress In?fore lying down. A book that Manley had given her was on the bed, too. He then committed the murder.

She got up from the bed, it seems, injured in a terrible way with a. knife, and made her way downstairs holding her gaping throat. Manley followed her downstairs and made off. He took a bicycle with the intention of going somewhere to end his life —as a letter in his pocket seems to indicate —hut subsequently changed his mind and gave himself rip to the police. "I'm the man you're looking for,” In* said. The girl had staggered down a bight of 18 stairs before she got to tlie kitchen door. Just before she I ell dead in front of her mother she made an effort to speak. Her mother rushed to the gateway after Manley had left, crying “lie’s after my bairn—he’s after ih.v bairn —won’t anyone help me?” The late .Miss Cromarty came to New Zealand from Scotland about four years ago, and was for some time employed at Foster’s Hotel, at Wanganui, also at Kai Twi. Mrs Cromarty, with her three daughters end two sons, came to the Dominion two years ago and settled in Wanganui.