The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1920-05-12 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

WILFUL MURDER."  VERDICT OF CORONER'S  JURY.  Andersen's Amused Smile.  MEDICAL STUDENT COMMENDED,  After an absence of - four minutes. the Coroner's jury yeeterday afternoon found that Elsie Dorothy Birkett, the vicitim of the Osten tragedy, died from syncope consequent upon a wound which penetrated the heart; and in their verdict they found Frank Lawrence Andersen guilty ox wilful murder.  the---ioreman added: "We wish to cons. mend Mr. Oldham, the medical students for the presence of mind he diaplayed, and the assistance he gave in removang deceased to the Borough hospital." .4ndersen had listened with intereaz, to the Borough Coroner's summary of the evidence. lie sat between a police sergeant and his solicitor, Mr. Roberts; and when the verdict was warned, he gave an amused smile. _  Mr.. F. S. Moore was present for the Public Prosecutcr, and a small number of the general public, including several women, witnessed the proceedings. When the inquest uas adjoerned on Friday last there remained to be given the evidence of two witnesses, that of Dr. Cassels Brown, who was called from his front garden to the spot where the dying girl and Andersen were lying on he road, and that of Police Sereeant Austin. who was present in the private ward at the Borough Hospital when Andersen signed the skatement taken down- in writing by Sergeant Stephenson. Dr. Andrew Cassels Brown stated yesterday that be lived at Hope Lodge, Poplarroad, and was a retired practationer. On the afternoon of Sunday, gath April, he was called by Mr. Oldham to where deceased and prisoner vere lying in the road. Andersen had an arm round her neck. Witness at once examined the girl, and found the wound in the ohest already described by other medical witnesses. She was pulseleas, and after a gasp, she died. He made a cursory examinatien of Andersen, and discovered a punctured wound in his chest. As they were being removed to the motorcar, witnesa picked up Andersen's hat, and a cost, and the knife tprodmed), which he ' handed over to the House Surgeon at the Borough Hospital. , Sergeant Austin gave evidence which ! corroborated what Sergeant Stephenson said on Friday as to having cautioned Andersen, and advised him not to make any state! meat. He heard the kaitoment read over to Andersen, who said "That's right," and signed it. The Coroner recapitulated the main points of the evidenoe, and defined the Jury's duties in an inquest of that description. He said that it ir&S not necessary for them to satisfy themselves as to Andersen's guilt to the sable extent as if they: were sitting at the A.ll i 1.63. when a man's life would depend upon their verdict. If they were satisfied that there was a prima facie ease against Andersen it was their duty to reture a verdim of murder. They were not concerned with the question of the prisoner's sanity or insanity. That was enitirely a matter for the Court, probably the Chester Assizes, where Andensen eventually would be tried. After. re-leading the two letters already published, Mr. Holdet said that he: second one, addressed "To whom it may concern," appeared to him to be a complete admission of a premeditated intention to take Elsie Birkett's life. There was also the statement made so Sergeant Stephenson, after that officer had very properly gone out of his way to warn Andersen against saying anything. The police could not have been fairer. Before the jury retired to .consider their verdict, Mr. Roberts announced that his client did not with to make any statement. At the close of the proceedings the Coroner said that nothing remained for him bolt formally to commit prisoner to the next Assists! at Chester. Prisoner smiled, and very quietly said 'Thank you." ummimmimemism