The Washington times., 1922-09-10

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Ronald True, the Bogus
"Lord de Freyne,"
Convicted of Brutal |3S
Murder in London, but
Sent to a Lunatic az p
Asylum.
LONDON, Aug. 25. EIH
RIO man in the world, }S2z/NN
N perhaps, finds himself 6AXN
in such a terrible pre- MXM
dicament as Ronald True, V~ "'RNF
who used to call himself
Lord de Freyne" in San
Francisco, and is, in fact, the
son of Annabelle, Dowager
Lady de Freyne.
True was found guilty in London re-
Gently of the brutal murder of Gertrude
Yates, a girl of the bohemian world in
London, and sentenced to be hanged. He
beat his victim to death in a very shock
ing manner and stole her jewels, which
were of high value. He appealed to the
Criminal Court of Appeal and his SEN
tence was promptly confirmed.
But after his conviction experts de-
tected signs of insanity in him and by
order of the Secretary of State for Home
Affairs he was removed to the great Asy-
lum for the Criminal Insane at Broad
moor. His escape from death aroused
storm of Indignation and the public pro-
tests almost endangered the Government,
and Secretary Short will retire, it is said,
from political life.
But in the asylum True is doomed to a
punishment which many would regard as
worse than death, for he is under the con-
slant and CLOSETS kind of surveillance by
the medical attendants and expert wardT
crs, who, unless he acts as lunatic, will
report him as having recovered his sanity.
In that event he. is not discharged as
cured and restored to liberty, az would be
the case in America, but is recommitted to
prison by warrant of the Secretary of
State, to fulfill his sentence. And the
sentence passed upon him after trial and
conviction was to be hanged by the neck
until he was dead. Thus Ronald True will
always have before him, by day and by
night, the shadow of the gailows.
English law is very explicit on this
point. Under the Criminal Lunatics Act
of 1884 it is distinctly laid down that
should a prisoner detained in an asylum
for the criminal insane be at any time
afterward certified as sane-that is to say,
as cured-hc must be recommitted to
prison by warrant of the Secretary of
State for the Home Department, to COM
plete his sentence, which in True's in
stance is the capital sentence.
Reliable reports suggest that True is
now aware of the necessity of acting in
an insane manner.
1t has even been stated that Mr.. True's
wife-she is his third and an American
lives on the comfortable sum she realized
by betting against the moose of death be-
ing drawn around her husbands neck.
When he was first taken to the asylum,
some indignation was aroused by his cal
lous and cheerful conduct. He arrived in
a private motor ar with his handouts
concealed under fashionable motoring
coat and joked loudly with his attendants.
He was at first placed in the so-called
"gentlemen's block" at Broadmoor. where
criminal lunatics of good social posi-
ton and quiet behavior are lodged. Here
he had many privileges. Instead of din
ing with the ordinary inmates in the mid
die of the day, off tinware, he with other
occupants of the gcntlemen's block, was
allowed to dine in the evening, off porce
lain, the meal usually comprising soup,
a roast, at least two kinds of vegetables
and SWEET, after which he used to enjoy
a game of bridge.
He is a splendid bridge player and
very entertaining companion, having a
supply of good or exciting stories from
his experiences as an aviator in the war,
a member of the Northwest Mounted Po-
lice and stock raiser in Canada.