Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-06-13

CELDOM has a crime stirred the stolid
English nation more than the muir.
der OF Mrs. Kathleen Elsie Breaks
by Captain Frederick Rothwell Holt
1t is known as the murder on the sea
sands because 1t was committed at night
at lonely spot on the seashore when not
another soul was within miles. and only a
loving woman. trusting utterly in the faith
OF man, would have ventured to be there.
Frederick Rothwell Holt an officer of a
distinguished regiment. hero Of tho late
war, a man OF good family, convinced
Elsie Breaks that her husband, who had
left her. was dead. proposed marriage TO
her, insured her life for $4,000. induced
her to will the money to him, persuaded
her to go out with him on the lonely
sands, and then, when she was listening
to his loving words. deliberately shot her
dead
Never in all the annals OF crime has
there been a more cold-blooded and treach.
crous murder than this. Criminologists
who have studied tho matter profoundly
declare that there arc few men who have
the unspeakable vllainy to kill woman
q: the moment she is gazing at them with
love in her eyes.
The trial was made remarkable by many
extraordinary circumstances. After tho
case had begun the prisoners counsel one
OF the most distinguished lawyers in Eng.
land. quite Unexpectedly sprang n defense
OF insanity on the court, supported by an
amazing piece OF nonsense which Holt had
written, and by the fact that he hal re.
FUSED to give any Instructions to his law.
yers.
After tho prisoner was condemned. his
sister. woman OF strong character. made
visit 10 Prime Minister Lloyd George
and made heartrending appeal TO him TO
reprieve her brother. Executive clemency
10 criminals In England is granted after
Mr. Lloyd George could have set the pro.l
cess IN motion. He refused to interfere.
doubtless Mortified by the crime ns much
MS the rest OF the nation.
me courtroom at Manchester. where
the trial was held, was besieged by thou
sands OF fashionable and welidressed wo-
men, many OF whom had secured tickets
or admission. Other thousands were shut
out
Sir Edward Marshall Hall, X. c., the
noteo counsel who defended Holt. in sup
port OF his contention that the prisoner
was not mentally responsible. called Cap
tain Dawes. OF the War OiYice and the
Berkshire Regiment. who testified that
Holt took part in the bombardment of
festnbert. noted battle in France. where
me British losses were particularly heavy.
After this he suffered from depression and
smell shock, condition which, IL is well
known, may result in sudden insanity
following further shock or injury
Dr. Robert Percy Smith. an alenist. tes.
tined that Holt was suffering from delm.
slonal insanity and that he believed his
insanity followed his arrest on the shock.
Ing charge OF numbering his sweetheart
counsel then called the Holt family law.
yer. VINO swore that the prisoner. since his
IONS concerning his defence and had held
no communication with them beyond issu.
ing document written the day after his
arrest which read as follows:
FIRST attempt dogs. They were given
atepy announcement to reach my cell.
leader lC, said Yes No Yes, yes, yes. &C.
me best dog was called by name They
said ne had never fed before It was
5000 dog. Second attempt. spent most
~ INC tlne near my door, but could see
partly into the office. Just before tho sac.
ond time noticed two long strins az news.
paper had Just been put down between NV
LOOT and tho office gate The dogs yvere
RED me same way, but this time with
'ery niue speaking. On both these occe.
lust opposite my door lifted his leo acrnso
he remainder of the passage, the idea he.
ng to turn the dog into INV caj, 49,.
ne dogs had left noticed one of the lone
strips or paper had been chewed into
'all. Third attempt After about anotbor
wo hours interval the policeman went "a
ne gate. When he returned he came No
ar as my door This time felt sure the
logs would enter the cell, 80 / got to tho
ar end, to see what would happen"
DR.. Blair declared that whom he visitod
tolt In his cell tho prisoner talked about
asst hordes Of South American flies under
leader that prosecuted him there
Sir Gordon Hewart. the Attornev-con-
raj, who prosecuted. pointed out that
nan who had conceived such a diaboIi.
ally cold.blooded crime as Holt would
ertainly be capable OF writing and taik.
ng nonsense to escape the consequence
4 ms crime. The jury retired at this
ONT, and in ten minutes decided that
'aptain Holt was sane and fit to plead
me case against Holt depended mainly
n the Identification of certain footprints
tne sands, OF a discarded glove and an
rmy revolver az
H. said the Attorney General. "the
ny ma that the footprints in tho sands
ere az maze by the owner Of the glove, and
uey ma that the owner of the glove
as tue owner OF the revolver, and that
o owner OF the glove and the revoiver
IS person Intimately acquainted With
woman and was In her company, then