A STRANGE CONFESSION.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2152, 12 February 1880, Page 3

A STRANGE CONFESSION.

(Frpm the Yass(N.S.W.) “ Courier, ’’ Jan. 27.)

Last Thursday forenoon a man of somewhat dejected appearance, of sallow complexion, and about :30 years of age, called upon Mr Lrennan, subinspector nf police, and stated that he desired to give himself into custody for a murder committed in England early

j last year. “ The’ man was quite sob I and evidently in his right senses. Mr [ Brennan, having first cautioned the I man, asked him to slate particulars. These were so connected and apparently so truthful, that the sub-inspector deemed it advisable to have lus statement taken down in presence of the police magistrate (Mr Yates), and shortly after 2 o’clock on the same day this was done at a private examination in the court-house. Of the statement then heard wc have been able to learn the following particulars ;

His name is William Thomas Coulthard, and he is a chemist and druggist. He had lately been employed on Mr Thompson’s farm Greenfield, near Yass, He had only been about eight months in the colony' and shortly before coming to Now South Wales landed at Melbourne. He had been engaged iu business as a chemist and druggist at Evcrton, near Liverpool, England. He was there married to a cousin, of whom he subsequently became madly jealous. In January, 1879, he resolved to kill his wife, and administered to her a dose of prussic acid. After her death lie attached lead to (he head and feet of the body and put it in a sack, and after dark threw the sack containing his wife’s remains into the Biver Mersey, at Evert-n, near Liverpool, England. He was (hen, as he is now, thoroughly in his right senses. He shortly after sailed for Victoria, and subsequently came to this colony, .since committing the murder he had led a wretched and miserable life, and scarcely' a night passed without the vision of his wife appearing to him. Ho is 28 years of age. He could boar his sufferings no longer, and lienee he had resolved to give himself up to the police and confess his crime. The prisoner’s statement was calmly and distinctly given, and since his confinement lie has shown'uo inclination to vary or withdraw any' of the particulars supplied. Wo understand the facts have been communicated to the authorities in Sydney', and it is not improbable that a search of tiles of English newspapers will throw some light on the circumstances narrated by the prisoner.