CASTLEGAR NEWS, Thursday, June 7, 1979 A strange mother’ s love Juries at murder trials have often been criticized for bringing in verdicts which seem at odds with the evidence jury our verdict would have been dif- ty 1. true that hindsight leaves much : to be desired, When we scan old tran- seripts we fannct catch the inflections ‘an sometimes incriminating statements, bove all, we cannot measure the very human reactions of the accused in court, Today we will try to place you, the reader, in the juror's box. You will be able to consider the evidence much as it (3 Lins of the trial you will be faced with the dilemma — is the accused innocent or guilty? Come along with me now to Merrie England at the turn of the century. It is Friday, Oct. 27, 1899. A terror filled scream pierces the musty air of ‘London's Dalston Junction Station, A founded, for in the ladies waiting room lies the nude body of a little boy. He had been struck a heavy blow to the head, which probably rendered him uncon- scious. Then the tiny lad had been suffocated. The body was wrapped in a lady's black shawl. Within a day the victim was identified as four-year-old Manfred Masset. His mother Louise was being sought by the police. Within a week she was arrested and charged with the murder of her young son. The trial which followed was puzzling in many ways. Microscopic examination The Crown subjected Louise Masset’s life to the microscopic examination of a murder Louise was 36 years old. She was a plain, quiet woman who had never crossed paths with the law before. Four years earlier Manfred had been born, as the result of an affair with a Frenchman, whose identity was never revealed during Louise's trial. Louise, Sho lived with her sisters Mrs. Caulsel, 0 In preparation for her trip Louise had a aa respected families in London. None of her employers knew that she was the mother of a little boy. g cared for by a Loulse went about making a living for herself and her son. There is every indication that Louise loved her son learly. On occasion she received mail rom France, and it is assumed she was he recepient of some financial hel rom Manfred’s father. Eac. Wednesday Louise visited Manfred, bringing the child candy and toys. Louise had a lover. Her next door younger Lucas of the existence of her son. The fact that Louise had an illegiti- mate child did not seem to bother Lucas. It is quite possible that had external influences not come into play, the pair might have married. On Oct. 16, 1899, Louise wrote Miss Gentle that she would be taking Manfred out of her care. She explaine that the boy’s father had requested that he be sent to France to be educated. She was planning on picking up her son on Oct. 27 and continuin, ing on to France with the boy. Louise told her sister, Mrs. Cadisch, the same story. Both women accepted Louise’s Fenorware explanation at face value. a black shawl at a shop in Btoke-Newington, Later, she was positi- vely indentified by the clerk who had made the sale. Louise told her boyfriend guite a dif- ferent story than the one she related to the two ladies. She never mentioned atripto France, but on Oct. 25 she made a date with Lucas to meet him in Brighton the following Saturday, Oct. 28. She couldn't possibly have intended to be in Brighton and France on the same day. Lucas travelled to Brighton, fully expecting Louise to arrive on Sat- urda: ‘On Friday, Oct, 27, Louise Figked up her son as reviously : arranged. She told Mrs. Gentle th that she would make her way to London Bridge Station and catch a boat train to France. She disclosed that she planned on returning in three or four days. Substantiating witnesses proved that Louise and her son arrived at London Bridge Station at 1:45 p.m. She spoke to an attendant there, and as she lingered she idly mentioned that she was waiting for someone. At about 3 p.m., after waiting for about an hour, she told the waiting room attendant that her 208 W was cea ting restless, as he had just be from a nurse of whom he was knows for sure what happened during the next three and a half hours, At 6:30 p.m. Manfred's body was found at Dal- Ston Junction Station. At 7:22 that same evening Loulse caught the train at London Bridge and went straight to Brighton. She spent the weekend with Lucas as she had told him she would. As far as he was con- cerned, nothing untoward had taken place, He was completely unaware of Louise's elaboate plans to transport her. son to France. When police indentified Manfred’s body, Louise went to a friend for advice. | Her friend advised her to go to the olice. Louise hesitated, and within | jours was being hunted. She was even- tually picked up by the authorities. Louise stood trial for the murder of her son. The Crown proved that the shawl found wrapped around Manfred’s body was the one purchased by Louise shortly before the murder. Louise and Mantfred’s movements were well docu- mented right up to 3:00 p.m. 08 Ane day of the murder, There is a three and a half hours during w cl Louise’ ‘Ss actions are unknown. The child's body was then discovered at 6:30 p.m., -wrapped in Louise’s shawl. The defense presented Louise's story, and quite a.story it was. She claimed that each Wednesday when she visited Manfred at Miss Gentle’s home, she usually took him out for a walk on Tottenham Green. One day she met i shawl being wrap, two middle aged ladies who were accompanied by a little girl named Mille, Paine and Man! fot along ell, Each Wednesday they had gat fun playing together on the greenIn the meantime Loulse got to know the two ladies rather well: She confided in them now that he was app proaching school age she wanted something better for him in the way of education. By colncidence the ladles revealed that they were in the process of starting a kindergarten in King’s Road, Chelsea, Loulse expressed great Interest, but was concerned that the cost would be prohibitive. The ladies, who were known to Louise only as the Misses Browning, quoted ‘a price of twelve peu a year for Manfred’s care. Spared feelings Loulse was thrilled at being able to place her son for such a reasonable amount, One ais blem did exist. How could she tell iss ss Gentle, who had beet. so good to and had grown s fond of he ania herself? L Loutse claimed she had made up the story of takin, the boy to France to spare Miss Gentle's feelings, The defense concurred with the Crown's version of Louise's movements right up to the point where Louise and Manfred were seen at London Bridge Station. Louise, you will recall, told the, attendant that she was waiting for someone. She claimed that she was waiting for the two ladies, who she was eo fecompany. to Chelsea to inspect their S*Unfortunately, the two women were waiting on the wrong platform. According to Louise, when she at last found them, she knew that if she accom- panied them to the school she would miss her 7:22 train to Brighton. Remember Louise had known the two ladies for some time. Influenced by their urging, she turned her son and twelve pounds over to them. M : was quite accustomed to the phe women and gladly accompanied them, with the expectation that he would’ soon be playing with his friend Millie. Louise was assured that the ladies would con- tact her upon her return from Brighton. She would then visit her-son’s new home. That was Louise's story. It was a strange tale, but it accounted for all’ her actions, and certainly brought up the nagging question of reasonable cue Three physical facts couldn't be puted. Louise could not ‘account for her er oun no house fettonia ‘as a kindergarten on King's Road in Chelsea. Well, what do you think? Could a woman who obviously loved her son, strike him down in cold blood and suffo- cate him for no apparent reason? Or was her story true? Did the two ladies, who never were located, take the life of a small boy for a measly twelve pounds? The Masset jury took only a half hour to return with their verdict. It was guilty. Louise was hanged on Jan. 9, At the very last minute she con- essed to killing her son, but she never said why. Ah, but that’s another mys- tery. Don't Be Disappointed BOOK. NOW! 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The selected Good Neighbour of the Week will recelve courtesy of SAM'S NURSERY & FLORIST, al “ 4 certificate from the Castlegar Nows/Mid- Week Micra Seed Nelohbour good, kind, and help you? a plant of thelr cholce, Send your tetters to: Goop NEIGHBOUR, SALUTE 0: CASTLEGAR, B.c. VIN3H4 This week's Good Neighbor Salute goes to Eil m so kind to me," writes Marguerite Eggleton oa cect seneleon. She Is a avai i eaek ond anywhere ' need to go. She does my hair often and inquires nm eirerage fe hee mime lor a few days. I can always phone her because she N “Sf SURES Lv, lordiresecred al iiilabet roma: 2, 1947 10Fab, 18,3979 INT CAMPALIL, Pul AVON autoEs, Haters wamatsinate i fie = NOH HUDHES, Mog Edie Mawar Acer eh Columble pod ‘also & member m "we tern Ri {Armutrong- Dogg Roprevenatives| phat rev aa cance et VINSHE: Cattersh ane’ anal Fepresanted by ADAMI esingh 61 Vancouver, $6 W68 tabs eaptone OA ibe edareied 10, Tha Eater, Caalagae ows, Drawer 07, Cage, itr eu punteaien ct be og ra anata ane saeron ole ones rect nara must be WwOmiled, The Cestogar News a {ete cana mutt bw omied Tha Costgar COMMENT sc rin fe no ’m Joe. . . Fly Me’ 5 £ You'd think Joe Clark would have learned. Aftor the mistaken rerouting of the luggage containing his jockey ? shorts in a perilous pre-campaign world tour, the prime minister-elect has 5 again tempted the fates b using not éne but three commercial flights in a - ; comparatively simple trip from Jasper, Alta. to Ottawa, His rationale for fucleg downa promised a more efficient gover- trip on ag let, nment Clark has been given ao man- in to U.S. pl at Teainct date, however tenuous, to im- plement the policies on which he my Carter's insistence on carrying iis own. luggage, was to show he campaigned. More so than. in’ any wan that ion since 1968, voter. have cast inted to'run.a was neither aloof nor isolated. : their ballots on the basis of issues ie rather 3 After an:elaction in which his les and i contacts with the electorate were than TV imagery ‘and symbolism. closely controlled, the victorious Tory Citizens voted primarily for con- crete solutions to serious and urgent Wore has apparently now decided to begin his campaign while telling problems confronting them ond are party members from atop a luggage counter he is "ready to get to work.” § Far be it from us to quibble over whether Clark and his entourage fly first or tourist class, but whatever symbolic intent his leapfrog journey may have had is lost on us. We suggest that the prime minister-elect's attention would be better, devoted to the transition of value of Clark's folksy posturing at a point where his time should be ata premium. The new prime. minister will eventually have to realize taking three planes when he could have taken one did little to reinforce the image of a leader with a sense ‘cf immediacy about the crises awaiting his nation. Should he fail to do so, we hope that at least he does not take over th the transport ministry portfolio imself. sition between tights. As the leader of a party which ~ A Three-Ring Circus (An éditorial in the Creston Valley Advance.) } After seven long months, we have temerity to lose the media's luggage, or tor finally. reached the end of the federal elec- a man who on one occasion was wearing a tion trail. . faded rose in his lapel, or for the man who “..But.one fact keeps.popping up—the .. media.turned: the campaign into a three- ting circus. Rather than simply: reporting the facts and letting the voters pick their favorite on the basis of their platforms, palaver we've been subjected to during the campaign and vote for the men and women who we think can most effectively lead the country? In their race to amuse and entertain us and to present the most trivial aspects of (Macleans in particular) felt compelled to report on the candidates’ gaffes and in- discretions, their’ personal foibles and idiosyncrasies, instead of on the issues, Today, when we are in the voting booth, do we vote for a man who had the concentrate on the real issues which will determine the future of the country. -Central Kootenay ‘Regional Hospital is to ask the federal transport ministry to install permanent rgency lighting at Castlegar Atrpart.2 2 ‘\Bixploratory drilling is scheduled to start this sree at Stampede International's China Creek uranium claim 16 kilometres south of heres . + Central Kootenay voters will go to ae polls in November to oppose or Support B.C. Hydro's tenay Di Proposed Kootenay Diversion. eres Information pickets remained at CanCel's local sawmill operation as sawmill workers continue their’ Strike over working and safety conditions. unlikely to appreciate the ‘abstract » . had to.make a whistle stop in the pouring: rain? Or do we simply forget all the. the campaign, the media has sold the | Canadian voting public short by refusing to Blueber By JOHN EQGLETON Th ay of of reckoning came for echool track and field Kinnaird pitch sa < nary ‘achoo! ipeted under plealiy ‘sunny skies for individual and team honore during the annual School District No. 9 Elementary Bchool track and fleld competition. Kinnaird Elementary J and Twin Hivera’ athletes grabbed six of the 12 tndtyioual Uhonarae sech capturing three categs ‘inna Colleen Ehman (13- your Girish, Alan LeRoy (12-1 boys) amassed di team oompatltion, Blue. berry rotak athletes capped a day of consistent placements, by ee otpturing the team title pol Blueberry was ied oy tee tforte "oF David Goosen, who tled Cyril Kina- kin of Tarrya for the 10-year-old boya' tit Biuel points, Nine-yger-atd John Hadikin : fed the Pass Creek team, winning te “ge set. Pass © tet a Hijet ‘oi ird and Twin Rlvere bat- tled at ‘way with the reaulte belng 8. a third-place tle, each echo! em: ting 325 polnis, Jody icual wines from these schools Inc! a ner row victory by Kinnalrd'e Mark Varie Woodland Park Primary Schoo! trackmeet gat underway on May 18 beneath sunny eki ith a bicycle decorating contest, follawed by run- ning. skipping. Jumping and novelty jood time was had by all, thanis to parental assistance, and the day Suiminaied with a hot dog ‘and [ce cream lunch, Following are the resulta of the activittee: Five-year-old Girte Broad Jump: rats — Wendy Sookachoff, = Mle hells Negreift, Ru Negreitf, second — Crystal Fieguth, third — Pam Ree Walking Race: first — Kristi Ogiow, second — Crystal Fleguth, third (ted) — Pam Read and Debbie Overnay. Bean Beg Throw: firat — © Wendy Boo kacholf, second — MI- chelle