SURRY HILLS TRAGEDY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 30, 22 September 1914, Page 6

SURRY HILLS TRAGEDY.

DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED TO LIFE. fßy Electric Telegraph—Copyricht] [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright J (Received 11 a.m.) Sydney, September 2 : J. The death sentence on the man Kin* has been commuted to imoiisoiiment for lite. William John King, a carter, was convicted at the Sydney Ceutial Criminal Court on August .11 om a charge of murdering his wife. Margaret Jane King (34), on May 15, at 598 Crown Street, where Mrs King was living. He pleaded not guilty. Constable Francis I). Johnson, row station at Albury, gave evidence that on .May 13 last lie was at 598 Crown Sr!'"t. and heard King say to his wifr, "Yea! arc the I want," and King '/nirished a razor. Mrs King told wit-

-; that a warrant had been issued i■•■ the arrest of her husband.' King tb" i snw witness, and ran into the ! . where witness arrested him for wife desertion. A razor was found in King's possession. On the way to the -*"';(>!), King said to his wife, "Wait i ill T come out, and I'll cut your head f,f" " Min TMhor O'Brien, occupant of 598 f:.,r.vn Street, from whom Mrs King was; renting two rooms, said that the ■ ;'.v-kC. ;. .is not ll\ir.£ with his wife.

lOn the evening of Mrs King's death, 'accused came to the house and pleaded Jwith his wife to go away with him. She said she would have nothing to do with him, and when he asked her for his clothes, Mrs King said he had no clothes there.

John Ernest Eastey, a boy of 13, recently living at 1 Wiltshire Street, 'Surry Hills, said he saw King seize Mrs King by the chin, knock her down, and cut her throat.

Mrs Elizabeth Downer said she saw King on the day following the murder, after she had read the account in the newspaper. She asked him if he had murdered his wife. He said no, and added, "Some of her blokes must have done for her." Wallace C. Ewing, now a prisoner in Parramatta Gaol, said he saw accused about 6.45 p.m. on May 15, in Devonshire Street, and King told him he was going to see his wife. Witness next met King in gaol, and King told him that if he could catch a certain man he would cut his throat, too. Accused made a statement to the jury. » Addressing the jury, Mr O'Reilly (for the defence) argued that if King killed his wife he was insane at the time.

The jury returned a verdict of guilty, with a recommendation to mercy hecause of the relations existing between King and his wife'. His Honor passed sentence of death.