FOUL MURDER IN SYDNEY.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 160, 28 August 1886, Page 6

FOUL MURDER IN SYDNEY.

A murder in circumstances almost unparalleled in the annals of coldblooded and calculating crime, has been perpertrated in tbe suburb of Newtown. Alfred Reynold?, a stonemason, employed in Evoleigh, | returned from his employment at half-past 6 o'clock, and calliughiawite into the bedroom, mixed a quantity of opium with cold water and then, holding a carving knife to her tnroat, compelled the helpless creature to drink the draught of death. When his victim had swallowed the fatal dose, her husband forced her to a seat en a low stool neir the bedside, and, throwing himself at length on the bed, watched hm victim as the deadly drug oporated upon her. At length, a3 he observed its effect and watched her yielding; to its influence, he rushed from the houaa and left her to die. But, with the love of life still strong j wichin her, the dying woman made, an j effort to save herself. Crawling to the cupboard, she succeeded in finding a small quantity of salt, and mixing this with water she swallowed it. The emetic, however, did not Berve to remove the poison, and finding herself being rapidly overcome by the somnolent influence of the drug, she snatched her eightfweeks baby from its cot, and staggered till the fell in the direction of her mother's house. Then gatheringher baby closer to her bosom, the dying woman crawled on her hands and knee 3 as best she could into her mother's house. With almost her last coherent utterance, she sobbed, "Oh, mother, mother, Alfs poisoned me." The police were at once sent for, and Constable Mitchell, immediately on his arrival sent forDr Brennan. The efforts of the medical man were successful in restoring animation, which had been for some time suspended, Rhoda Caroline Reynolds, who died at 4.20 this morning, and I now lie^ in her mother's house, in Gowrieatreet, told the following. Facts of tho Case. On Sunday afternoon her husband told her she was to die at halp-paet 7 o'clock, and advised her to prepare for death. He had frequently threatened to murder her, and she thought this was merely another threat. As he did not kill her that evening she coucluded he had decided to let her live, and it was not until he gave her the opium on Thursday uight that she knew his intention to take her Jffe was fixed. When he handed her the cup and bade her drink, she* pleaded to be allowed to live for the sake of her children — Willie, aged 6, Maud 4, and a baby gir), upon whose pretty innocent face the light of but eight brief weeks has shone. He was deaf to her entreaties ; and pnatching a earvingjknife from the table, he struck her to his feet and bade her drink. While she hesitated he thrust at her with the weapon, and B wore he would cut her head off if she did not at once swallow the contents of the cup, saying the children would be all right — he would "fix all that." She drained the cup and* he forced her to the peat, throwing himself on the bed to wai;ch her die. He was

A Methodical Murderer. On Saturday he compelled her to write the following letter, pitting opposite her toying with a five-chambered Allen revolver, while he dictated what she should indite : "I write this letter to say that I have done very wrong, and I have deceived my husband, and I have made a lot of trouble which I did not mean to do, but lam very sorry for'it. When my friends know what I have done they will know I did not know that I meant to do it, so I hope to be forgiven when I am gone. I do it myself, becauee I think it is best that I should do it, for I teel very miserable, an i I do not want to cause anyone trouble . aud dear mother do not fret for me, as I will be better to bo dead, as 1 may do things that I don'fc mean to do; but God blesa you, and forgive me for what I have done. Please ft) care for my lifctle.children. Godblessthem. Never let them want for anything ; and, mother, do not blame Alfred for anything I have dons* So, dear mother, I tnlnk it will be best for me to be gone. It will be a happy release for me to die. So goodby, and forgive me all for what I have done. Iwrito this without fear or force." Under pain of sudden death he forbade her to show the letter to anyone, even to her, mother, and she has carried it in her, pocket since. On Tuesday, being abouMo wash her dress, she placed' the letter in a little cane bag in the wash-house, where it was found by the police.