FOSTER'S LAST LETTERS REVEAL MURDER MOTIVE

NZ Truth, Issue 1151, 22 December 1927, Page 7

FOSTER'S LAST LETTERS REVEAL MURDER MOTIVE

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VTOUNG interviewed Foster at the 1 school last Friday week and that same night Foster killed his wifo •with an. axe and then committed suicide by drowning himself m the bath at his home, 31, Godley Avenue, Northdote, Papanui. "My" past was, too strong; it rose up and bit me. I can't face prison so I Am faoing the Judgment of God." Thiß was another of his farewell xneeoases written immediately before he sent his pretty English wife, Olive EJdlth, and himself on the long road to Eternity. So ended the career of a man who preferred death to sooial ostracism and the exposure of a dark page of his life. Murder and suicide was the coroner's verdlot. The inquest revealed the faot that the orime was deliberately planned, and further, that it was Foster's intention to slay not only himself and his wife but his five young children. In a heart-broken epistle to his mother, Margaret G. Foster, who lives

Not Mad

m Shrewsbury Street, Christchurch, Foster stated that he was not mad, but knew exactly what he was doing, and mentioned also that he had promised his wife to "take her with him" and that the children would be better dead. - He also left a letter to Thomas A. Gates, the headmaster of the Papanui School where Foster hold the post of first assistant master, advising his superior that "It is the end, and you ■will be well rid of me." All the circumstances proved conclusively, that the murder and suicide was premeditated, and it was only through the workings of a kind Fate that the children were spared the death that swooped down on their sleeping and unsuspecting- mother. Foster, m one of his letters, suggested that there was a death pact between him and his wife, but the coroner discounted this, remarking m a lengthy summing up that all the evidence before him negatived the theory. In this sordid drama, Foster, m the coroner's opinion, could not have secured a verdict of not guilty on a murder charge on a plea of insanity had he been unsuccessful m his efforts at suicide. From first to last it is a story of a man, who, while held by the court to be abnormal, knew what he was about and planned a horrible crime and suioide to evade what he undoubtedly believed awaited him at the hands of the law. Foster's conscience troubled him, although when Detective Young Interviewed him at the school In respect to unsavory allegations concerning young gohoolboys m his care, there was no ■uggestlon then that any charge was U be laid.

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As Young told the coroner, he simply called on Foster to inquire what he had to say about the complaints made about him, and at his request read over to him two statements which had been - made by school-boys. "He was very upset, and would neither deny nor admit the allegations," said Detective Young m reply to questions. This, then, was the powerful motive that led the school teacher to slay his wife and- then take his own life. How he did it has already been related by "N.Z. Truth." When the Woodhams realiied the horror of the discovery, Mrs. Woodham took charge of the five young children, whose ages fart^e from eight years down to two, and kept them amused m her garden pending the arrival of Foster's relatives who had been summoned to the scene. Considerable light was thrown on the tragically dark page m Foster's i life at the inquest, and gome startling evidence was given. John James Hall, the Papanui builder who called on Foster on Friday night m company with a man t named Gibbs, said he arrived at the house about 10 o'clock and found Foster "a bit gloomy." He and Gibbs remained talking until about a quarter past twelve, when they left. Mrs. Foster had been out to the pictures, and arrived home some Itime before Hall and Gibbs left the house. ! Foster chatted on a variety of sub- ' jccts and seemed much more cheerful when his friends left him. Sergeant Hyland, who conducted tho inquiry on behalf of the police, asked Hall if he had received a letter which Foster had left for him before the tragedy. ■ "Yes," was the reply. Sergeant Hyland: Was that letter of a private nature? — Well, he thanked me for many kindnesses I had shown to him. The Coroner (H. H. Young, S.M.): Let me see that letter. Hall handed it over to the bench and after perusing it for some time, the coroner remarked that there did not appear to be anything very private m the letter. Sergeant Hyland: You have known the Fosters for some considerable time?— Yes. ' For how long? — About two years. And so far as you are aware, were Mr. and Mrs. Foster* a happy couple? — Yes. The Coroner (to Hall) : Did you discuss the charges alleged against him? — No; he was a bit gloomy when we first arrived, but cheered up afterwards. Did he ever threaten suicide, go far as you know? — No, sir. Lawyer W. J. Hunter, who appeared to watch the interests of the relatives, then had a few questions to ask. Counsel: Would you say that Foster had a highly-strung temperament? — Yes. In fact, unusually highly -strung? — Oh, certainly. Was he a hard worker? — Yes, that was the trouble; he worked too much. What interests did he have outside his teaching? — He taught the piano and took an active part m sport of all kinds. I don't know how the man stood up to it or found the energy to do what he did.

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Christchurch Representative.) 1 "J* YE saved you a bit of unsavory work, old I man, and there will be no need for a I Warrant. You knew I was guilty .... The l[ more you dug the more you would have found; || 50 cease fire .... This case is over . . . " jj Such was the farewell message, left, among several® || others, frp William Alexander Foster, the i Papanui school teacher, Church organist, music j teacher and one time Scoutmaster, to Detective- | Sergeant J. B, Young. I . iiiun«iiiuimimMMiimiMmiiHUftHiuwMimHuiiMHuwniHuntMmnMuuMUMmMm^^^ niitmimrnHmmiMmmiiitliinniiiiimiirttiniiiiiniiiiiinliiiiiiinininntiniiiiliiimiinniiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiniiiiimiiiiiiiiilimiimiiiilni mtiiiimiimimliiiiiiiimimiiiiiiimiiimmminiiMiimiiimimiim

Now, what relationship existed between Foster and his wife? — I am just wondering who was more affectionate to his wife than Foster was. What was hie attitude towards the children? — He was stern but never unkind. He had been through some period of mental strain ? — Yes. The Coroner! In what respect? — He was worried. Lawyer Hunter: Nothing transpired during your interview with him that led you to believe that there was the least danger of his killing himself? — No, nothing at all. Formal evidence as to the injuries sustained by Mrs. Foster when struck with the axe was given by the police surgeon, Dr. Thomas L. Crooke. Wiien he saw the body o£ Mrs. Foster, she had, m his opinion, been dead for about four hours. That was at 9 ■ l

be, but he was not m as cheerful a mood as usual. Can you account for that? — Well; for a matter of some months past he was under a heavy strain due to overwork and financial worry. He was a good teacher?— Yes, a most efficient one. Did you also receive a letter from him which was delivered to you after his death? — Yes, I have it here. The letter was produced and handed to the coroner. The Coroner (to Gates) : Do you know anything about the allegations that were being made against the deceased? — I had some idea of what was being said about him. / Did the police see Foster on Friday? — Yes, but only on that day. He was seen by a detective? — Yes. Gates added that he saw Foster after the interview with Detective-Sergeant Young, when he was very downhearted.

Why Was Wife Killed?

a.m. He also saw the body of Poster lying on the bathroom floor. The face was livid and it was clear' that death resulted from drowning:. Lawyer Hunter: Now, doctor, m your experience of cases of this kind, would you say that they are due to homicidal mania? — I suppose they all are. * In cases of homioidal mania it is quite usual for a man to kill those nearest and dearest to him, is it-not? — Yes, that is so. And Is it not a fact that homicidal mania comes on sometimes quickly and without warning 1 ? — Yes, but m this case what reason had the man for killing his wife? I can understand him taking his own life. What happened at the Papanui school on Friday, the day preceding the tragedy, was related by Thomas A. Gates, the headmaster, who said he last aaw Foster alive at about halfpast three that afternoon. Sergeant Hyland: Was Foster m his usual health then? — Yes, he seemed to

The Coroner: Did you discuss the allegations with Foster? — He made some reference to them. Were you present when Detective Young saw Foster? — : No. But you had spoken to him about the matter? — Yes, after he had been seen by the detective. Did he say anything about what he was likely to do? — No. Did he say anything about the truth or otherwise of the allegations? — It was mentioned that there was a vast amount of rumor going about, but that most of it was rumor. The Coroner: Did he deny or admit the allegations? — He did not deny nor admit them. Did you see anything about him indicating insanity? — No, he had come to the end of a very hard yeai^'s work, and was a very highly- strung man. To Lawyer Hunter, Gates said that Foster had certainly been far too busy to have had any time for dissipation. Lawyer Hunter: Now, from what you heard about these allegations

would you say that they were of a very serious nature? — Oh, no. So far as you know, there might have been a complete defence to the charges? — Yes, I think there was quite a good defence. Detective-Sergeant J. B. Young then described his visit to the Papanui school on the Friday morning and his interview with Foster. He had occasion to see him • about certain allegations which had been made about him, and at the*time Foster was very upset. Witness told the coroner that the nature of the allegations was that Foster had been guilty of offences against schoolboys. The Coroner; Did you tell him what allegations had been made? — At hie request I read over to him two statements made by sohoolboys. Did he say anything? — He said he was not prepared to discuss the matter, but he did not deny nor admit the proof of the allegations. Lawyer Hunter; You did not inform him at the time that a charge would be laid against him? — Oh, no, I had no idea at that time that a charge would be laid. Now, the allegations were not of the most serious description were they? — The allegation m itself was not of the most serious kind. The most serious part of it was that he was the schoolmaster, although the allegations themselves were not of a very serious nature. The Coroner; If true, they would have amounted to punishable offences? — Yes, that is so. This was the sorry story of Foster, who, sooner than face possible disgrace, sought oblivion m dearth. The letters he left behind him were all written m a firm, legible hand and m them all he referred pitifully to the charges that were being made against his character. The letters were made available to the Press by the coroner at the close of the hearing, and seldom are such human documents seen at an inquest as those left behind by Foster. To the headmaster, Gates, he wrote: "This is the end. Thank you for all your kindness which turns out to have been wasted. You will be well rid of me, God bleaa.you. Poster." ; In a lengthier letter to Hall, he wrote: "A message from the dead for you and Gibbs. You've been real pals, good sports and Christian gentlemen and I thank you for it. "My past was too strong; it rose up and hit me. I can't face prison, so< I'm facing the judgment of God. He will know how to deal with a miserable sinner like me. • I have no hopes of heaven, but In hell if I see you go past on your way to heaven, I'll give you a wave m remembrance of all you have tried to do for me here. I hold no bitterness against anyone. I've landed myself m this mess and deserve all I get, but for God's sake warn 'every man who has a son to question him once a week and try and stop any other poor devil going like me. "Most boys fall m because they haven't been warned. "God bless you all .... W. A. Foster." "P.S.— I am trying to bluff the

iiiiiiiMiiMiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiitniniiiniiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiii I ? 1 " . . . A message from f 1 the dead for you and Gibbs. f j You've been real pals, I | good sports and Christian 1 | gentlemen, and I thank you | | for it . . . " — Extract from | | one of Foster's last letters. 1 fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMuiiiuiimiiiiiiiiiiiiMtiiiMimiiiiii

coroner and my family into thinking it was money troubles . . . W.A.F." This was perhaps the most remarkable letter of all, but the one written to Detective -Sergeant Young threw considerable light on the subject of the police inquiries. *Tv« saved you a bit of unsavory work, old man, and there will be no need of a warrant. You knew I was guilty, but you had only a very small oorner of the case. The more you dug the more you would have found. So ceaae fire. Thifc job is over; pigeon-hole the papers and thank God you didn't have to see it through. Good luck. W. A. Foster." "P.S.— I am trying to bluff she coroner and my family that it ie money troubles, so keep up the farce, there's a sport . . W.A.F." To his mother, Foster wrote: "Mother, I'm not mad; I know quite well what I'm doing. I've made a mess of my life and this is the only way out of it. "I've promised Olive I'd never go without taking her, too. The kid-

Better Dead

. dies will be better off dead. Goodbye, mother. Don't fret; God bless you and help you to forget me. Forgive me. Your loving son, Willie." In returning a verdict of murder and suicide the coroner offered the comment that Foster was not normal, as his' acts showed, but had he been unsuccessful m his suicide efforts, a jury would not have been justified, he thought, on the evidence before him of finding him not guilty on a charge of murder on the grounds of insanity. From the letter Foster had written to his mother, It was suggested that there had been a death pact between him and his wife, but all the circumstances and the evidence negatived tliis idea completely. If Foster's possible" suicide had been mentioned between them at all, Mrs. Foster, m order to put him off such a step, might have said that he would have to take her too. Foster, a school-teacher, had more than ordinary responsibility, said the coroner, with respect to children, and yet he evidently committed certain offences against schoolboys under his care. That showed he was not normal, as also, did the killing of his wife and his own suicide. <?n the other hand, the letters he wrote and the note left for the milKman showed that he committed the acts after deliberation and with a realization of their nature and consequence. The coroner found that Foster murdered his wife and then committed suicide. ' Jj>