DIABOLICAL CRIME.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 204, 2 October 1909, Page 4

DIABOLICAL CRIME.

POISONING OF CHILDREN. | MARTHA KENDALL CONVICTED. Tho trial of Martha Rendall and Thomas Nicholls Morris for the wilful murder of Arthur Joseph Morris, soil of the male accused, came to a sensational conclusion in the Supreme Court iat Perth (W.A.) last week. The Acting-Chief Justice, in summing up, said a quantity of evidence had been given concerning the deaths of Morris' other two children; hut it was admissible, as it had etrong bearing on the death of the boy Arthur. The cause of death was the same in all the caies. It was said by the Crown Solicitor that I a case had been made out two ways: First, indirectly by spirits of salts being I found in the house 5 and directly by evidence. If they believed it of the female prisoner having purchased spirits of salts and used it on the boy Arthur, they also had the indirect evidence of the doctors, who said that death could have been caused by spirits of salts. The evidence was much stronger against the woman than against the man. Morris and Mrs. Kendall preferred to Jive together as man and wife. It was clear that just after Mrs. Rendall took over the carc of tho children their health took a decided turn for the worse. If the evidence of the boy George was true, the woman in the dock was a monster. It was tho strongest evidence of the guilt of Mrs. llendall. " George had stated that he bought the spirits of salts for Mrs. Rendall, who, picking up a wire-handled brush, took it : into Arthur's room, from which he (George) heard screams immediately ' afterwards. It was clearly proved Mm • two accused were trying to delude V.12 1 world into believing they were man ! and wife. The woman had also told ' deliberate lies in telling neighbors she » was afraid the children had inherited a disease from her. Morris, too, had , *, told a number of unnecessary lice in f. regard to the purchase of spirits of salts. ' After the deaths of Morris' two daugh- ■ tors Dr. Cuthbert seemed to have no J suspicions until the boy Arthur died, 1 • when he desired that further enquiries • should be made, with the result that a d partial post-mortem examination was " held, Mrs. Rendall protesting against the >■ removal of .parts of the body. They f would have to consider the evidence r carefully regarding Mns. Randall's . throat. If they believed it had been i' brought, about by their own efforts 1 then it brought them deeper into the - diabolical cast', for it showed that she 3 was manufacturing evidence with dia--1 bolical ingenuity to cover up what 'lie t was doing. If the jury believed the } story told they would find that she not f | only murdered th« children, but tor- - tnred the poor wretches to death after j she had been placed in the position of 1 mother over them. There wag great • difference between the two accused., t Morris may have assisted her in what ■ 1 she was doing. s 1 The jury returned a verdict of guilty , against Mrs. Rendall, and one of not guilty against Morris. | Morris wag then discharged, and left 1 the doek with a slow, faltering step, . having to be assisted down the Jast step from the dock.

Mrs. Rendall. in reply to the usual question, said: "'All I desire to say h that 1 am not guilty," repeating the last two words.

His Honor, in passing sentence of death, said she had been found guilty of one of this most horrible crimes he had ever heard of. lie had been astonished at her behaviour throughout the proceeulngs. and had formed the opinion that she was a woman of extraordinary character.

The woman calmly watched his Honor adjust the black cap, and did not flinch while sentence of death was being passed. As she left the dock her face seemed to relax, and she began to sob. Morris was completely prostrated.