LOVER'S VENGEANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 396, 23 May 1910, Page 6

LOVER'S VENGEANCE.

HUSBAND SHOT BY WIFE'S OLD SWEETHEART. MENACES FROM 'PRISON. London, April 2. Remarkable evidence was given on Wednesday at the inquest on Thomas Henderson", who was murdered at Liateshead on Saturday afternoon last. Thos. Craig, who is alleged to have fired at Henderson and his wife—-a former sweetheart of his—is still at large, despite the most active police search. The widow, Annie .Henderson, related how she became acquainted with Craig seven years ago, when he went to liarnard Castle for militia training. He kept company with her afterwards. He was of a very jealous 'disposition, and often threatened what he would do 11 she went -with anyone else. After keeping company with him for about two years he was arrested for an oft'ence'and committed to Durham Assizes. Craig asked her to wait for him if he were sent to prison, and she promised she would. He was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. He wrote to her several times from prison and she wrote to him. The witness became acquainted with Henderson four years ago, and about September, 1900, he began to see her regularly and kept company with her. She left off writing to Craig. He wrote tasking what was the matter and she did not reply. MISSING MAN'S LETTER. Later she received the following letter from Craig written in prison:— . Tuesday, Jan. 4, 1010. My own dear Annie—lf you do get united, you will still be my sweetheart, as I still love you, and will be true till death, as you should to me. I will give a few pounds out of my pocket to know where you are. I will soon find you out. Be it across the ocean I will go. Be it in the funniest place in the world I will find you out. I will get to Iknow when I come out; 1 will be there next month. So you see it has come at last, that gloriest day when I will meet you, yes, meet you face to fiace to reply. You will find out I am not going to stand any more off you, Annie, as you know if you are a true woman wnat a promise means. It is only last August you said, "Keep your up, Tom, till we meet," You Will see with sorrow wihen I come. My flesh and blood cannot stand this. I did not mind if you had said this twelve months back, as I should have forgotten you, but it is too late now, as you said ft few months ago that you would wait ten years. What have you got to say about that? I've got all "the letters, so if anything goes wrong .they will know

the cause ,by the love letters, because I won't forget you—no, by Heaven, i won't forget. I shall be hot waen I meet you, so sudden you will find me • sharp. You will think I have been living amongst mustard, pepper and cloves. I shall be hot. I will spit it all out. ... As you know, Annie, "there is but to do and die.' You have only to die once. I am not afraid to die and face death. As I 'told you before, iam not going to live after 1 meet you, as I will ,be sure to meet you like death that meets .us all. Your happiness will be a short one. You will lind 1 ■am going 'to pull the castle down. I will break up the little palace for you, as I will he burning when : .sec it. I will be clean mad. I will be in a frenzy. I will test my strength against the chap who has robbed me of my love and happiness. I mean 'to face it out to the bitter end, hut I will iorgive you if you are still Annie, but if you are not—well, it's God help you. . . . I will never return again if you have done it, Annie, so it will be best ■for you if you write to me again, as I will forget. But if you don't, well ■then take the consequences of my revenge. I will have revenge if you don't. I will he like a flash of lightning. Yours ever and yours only in this' world, Tom." Crakfe. May God 'bless you for me till my return next month. True till death, your Tom. x x x x. Sure to meet you face to face to repay you once and for all. Yours, Tom Crake. Youra only, as you will see and feel me, so God hless you till my return. THE TRAGIC MEETING. The witness said this letter was -brought to her by Superintendent Johnson, of Barnard Castle. She did not receive any further letters from Craig and she married Henderson in February. Her husband said he did not think Craig ■would do anything, but he told her to lock the door when he was out. Her) mother brought Craig 'to her house on Saturday afternoon, and the .witness said to him, "You're Tom Craig, aren't you ?" He said, "Yes, and you're Annie Finn?" She replied, "Xo, I am Henderson now. This is my husband and this is my mother." Her husband went to shake hands with Craig, but he refused. She said to Craig, "You don't look much the worse." Craig made no answer. Afterwards he said, "Why did you throw me over?" la.ndi she said, "Because I loved my hushand! ibetter." Her husband wins taking a sketch dawn 'and was standing on a chair with his back to Craig. She heard a shot, and her husband jumped off the chair and said, "Oh, Annie." There was smoke in the room. Craig was then coming 'towards her with a 'pistol in 'his hand. She dropped on to the couch. »>ne saw her husband put .up this 'hand as if to stop Craisr or push his hand awiay, hut his arm drop'ped iby his side as if he could not use it. He then ran out of the 'kitchen. She tried to hide 'behind the conch. Craig fired two shots at her and she felt she was s'hot in the left .breast. She then' ran iround the table, and as she got to the other side she was shot again. The enquiry was adjourned until Wednesday, April 13, to complete enquiries as to the whereabouts of Craig.,