The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-12-23
WOMAN AND HER LOVER
MUST GO TO GALLONS
Couple Lose Appeal From Death
Sentence For Murder Of Husband
and Friend

London, Eng, Dec. 22. Mrs. Edith
Thompson must hang Tor the murder
Of her husband, Percy Thompson, OF
which she was found jointly guilty
with Frederick Bywaters, her lover.
The lord chief justice yesterday dis
missed appeals by Mrs Thompson ana
l3y waters lhey had previously been
found guilty OF murder and sentenced
to dean.
Thompson was stabbed to death DC
tober 4.
Appeal Of the condemned woman,
who admitted frequent attempts to
poison her husband, will probably be
carried to the home secretary, her last
hone OF lie.
William c. Bridgeman, whose life
by a coincidence was recently at
tempted through poison sent him in
the mails, must now decide whether
a woman about TO become a mother
can be hanged.
Mrs. Thompson is understood to be
in delicate condition.
Frederick Edward Bywaters was
young naval officer befriended by the
murdered mar. and taken into the
Thompson home at Ilford. A friend
I ship between himself and Mrs.
. Thompson grew TO an illict love affair
It was admitted in court, and, as an
outgrowth Of this, tho. lovers plotted
TO dispose Of the unsuspecting hus-
band.
II put ground glass in his food,
but it didn't work" Mrs. Thompson
wrote to the naval man.
?, Their love letters were at one mo.
= ment aflame with passion; the next
they would be discussing details Of
{ poisons and means OF disposing Of
+ Thompson Mrs. Thompson admitted
+ trying several means, without sue
2 cess.
4 Finally. one night when Thompson
: was accompanying his wife home
I from the theater, he was stabbed
Shrieks Of his wife brought people to
|. the scene, to find him expiring in her
q arms
u BIwaters was arrested. Mrs Thomp
son letters were found. The case
/ went to trial, attracting more atten
d on than any similar murder case in
recent years
Il The trial Of Mrs. Thompson and By
8 waters YVES one Of the most .sensa
J. tiona in English criminal history
Mrs. Thompson, girlish figure. who
= Will be 20 years old on Christmas
maintained her composure in court a.
i III. sses accused her OF administer
ing poison to her husband She ad
mitted giving the man deadly potions
hut said she did 20 only to weaker
him" 80 he would succumb to a hear
attack
From June /, 1921. until Octobe
(, 1922. she gave her husband occa
sional doses OF poison. while continu
ing 20 smile upon him and hold secre
rendezvous with her lover Finally
| on October :. she prevailed on BY
| waters to stab Thompson and SO pu
| an end to him,
| Only once during the trial did Ai-a
| Thompson show any emotion and tina
was when the bloody knife was o.
hibited At that sight. she turne'
pale and pressed her filmy lace hand
kerchief TO her eyes. At other time
she appeared to be in trance, IN
aware OF what was going on roun'
| ner
After her conviction. considerable
| sentiment was stirred up in her ia
yor because she was to become
mother 1t was held that the stat
had no right. To execute an unbor
babe hy sending the mother to tn
scaifod This will undoubtedly b
brought strongly before the home Sc,
rotary when he considers whether sh
shall die.