REJECTED LOVER'S CRIME.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 July 1920, Page 10

REJECTED LOVER'S CRIME.

GIRL HURLED OVER BRIDGE. MURDERER COMMITS SUICIDE. A terrible tragedy of unrequited love, in which a girl was done to death before the eyes of her betrothed sweetheart by a jealous and rejected suitor, who took his own life at the same time, has occurred in a remote part of Dumfriesshire. Miss Barbara Huddleston, a housekeeper at East Park, Caerlaveroek, was returning with her sweetheart, John Murray, a Canadian, from a cycle ride to a farm in the district. When they reached a lonely footbridge over the Lochar Miss Huddleston's cousin and former sweetheart, named Thomas Cowan, a signalman, appeared. Cowan had secreted himself near by, apparently in wait for the couple. Miss Huddleston was about to introduce the two men, when Cowan seized her by the throat and stabbed her with a knife. Murray struggled with the man, but was overpowered, and then Cowan threw the woman over the bridge into the river. , Murray raised the alarm, but Cowan sprang on to the parapet, and, after cutting his throat jumped into the water. The two bodies were recovered next morning. / Miss Huddleston and Murray were to have been married shortly, after which, they had intended to settle down in! \Ciuiftda. J