The Arlecdon murder had a tragic sequel on Saturday  when Mr. Robert GILL,
the farmer by whom Sarah CORLETT was employed at the time  of her
disappearance, was found hanging dead in a barn on the farm of Mr. J. W.  BOWNESS, which is
close to the farmstead occupied by Mr. GILL. The dreadful  discovery was
made by Mr. BOWNESS himself shortly after one o’clock in the  afternoon. The
unfortunate man was hanging by a rope from a beam, and when cut  down it was seen
that he had a wound in the throat, which had evidently been  inflicted by a
razor which was found in his jacket pocket.


The police who were immediately summoned, searched the  clothing and found
several letters which had been written by Mr. GILL,  apparently the night
before. One of them was addressed to Mrs. GILL, another to  the Coroner, and
a third to Supt. MELVILLE, of Whitehaven, who has charge of the  investigations
which have been proceeding since the recovery of Miss. CORLETT’s  body from the
High Leys Reservoir on November 12th.


Mr. GILL, who has been in occupation of the Arlecdon  Farm, a holding of
about 200 acres, for nine years was 38 years of age, and  leaves a widow and
four young children, with whom deep sympathy id felt by the  residents of the
district, where the news of this second tragic  discovery within less than a
week caused a profound  sensation.


Mr. GILL had passed through a time of great stress  lately, and particularly
so during last week. In the course of the inquiries  following the recovery
of Miss. CORLETT’s body from the reservoir he had been  interrogated, not only
by those officially concerned in the investigations, but  also by the
national newspaper “crime experts” who have haunted the district  since the murder
came to light. On Friday evening the police visited and  searched a disused
cottage near the farmstead, of which Mr. GILL had the key.  The search was
conducted by Supt. MELVILLE and his assistants, and later Mr.  GILL was
again questioned about certain matters.


At the inquest of the body of the murdered girl on  Tuesday week, Mr. GILL
was one of the chief witnesses, and gave his evidence  very clearly and
without hesitation. Miss. CORLETT was stated to have left the  farm about a quarter
past seven on the night that she disappeared, and Mr.  GILL’s evidence was
to the effect that, he, himself, left home at seven o’clock  that night and
walked to Frizington to see Mr. CROSTHWAITE, bus proprietor. It  is about
half-an-hour’s walk from the farm to Frizington, and he stayed with Mr.  CROSTHWAITE for
about three quarters of an hour, afterwards returning to his  home, which he
reached about nine o’clock. In reply to Supt. MELVILLE, Mr. GILL  said he
wentto the reservoir, which is situated on the farm two days after  Sarah
CORLETT disappeared, opened the cover nearest the gate, and looked in. He  also
statedthat both he and his wife had been on good terms with Sarah CORLETT,  who
was a very good servant.


INQUEST ON MR.  GILL.


The inquiry into circumstances of Mr. GILL’s death was  held in the Arlecdon
Schoolroom on Monday afternoon, there being a crowded  attendance of the
public.


The proceedings were conducted by Mr. W. T. HIGHET,  Deputy Coroner for the
Lordship of Egremont. Mr. E. W. LIGHTFOOT, Maryport and  Carlisle,
represented the relatives of Mr. GILL and Mr. W. C. SUMNER the  relatives of Sarah
CORLETT, the murdered girl.


Mr. J. KIRKBY, who was foreman at the inquest of the  girl, again acted in
that capacity.


“WEARY AND TIRED”


The first witness called was Mrs. Elizabeth CALVERT, a  sister of Mr. GILL,
of 25 South Street, Cockermouth. She stated that she   last saw her brother
alive about eleven o’clock on Saturday morning, in his own  house. During
conversation in the sitting-room, he said he was weary and tired  of this
scandal and trouble in reference to the CORLETT girl, who was employed  by him. He did
not say anything else, and witness had no suspicions of anything.  Normally
he was a man of rather quiet disposition.


The coroner produced some letters, and showed them to  witness, who said
they were written by her brother’s hand.


Mr. LIGHTFOOT: Do you think, within your knowledge,  Mrs. CALVERT, that
there had been reports in the village about the deceased -  slanderous statements?


Yes.


Is it within your knowledge that these statements were  to the effect that
he was responsible in some way for the disappearance and  death of this girl,
Sarah CORLETT?


Yes.


And I suppose you know he strongly asserted his  innocence?


Yes.


And I gather that when you spoke to him he showed that  he felt very
keenly - he was very much distressed?


Yes, he was.

_________________

“SCANDAL GOT ON HIS  NERVES.”


Mrs. Margaret BOWNESS, wife of Joseph William BOWNESS,  Low Arlecdon Farm,
said she saw Robert GILL alive at eleven o’clock on Saturday  morning.
Witness asked how his wife was, and he replied, “Very well considering  the
 trouble.” He said this scandal had got on his nerves and he could neither  eat, sleep
nor work. It was usual for Mr. GILL to come on their farm, and there  was
nothing to arouse their suspicions. Witness had heard some talk - not a great deal
- about this matter.


A REPORTER’S EVIDENCE.


Frederick Noel BYRON, “Daily Mirror” reporter, said that in the  course of
his duties he saw Mr. GILL on the Friday night before his death. He  was
only making an ordinary routine inquiry. “We were with him about  half-an-hour,”
he said, “when the Superintendent arrived and we left. We went  into our car
andsaw a police officer with a lantern, so we thought we would see  what he was
doing. Presently the Superintendent came out and he seemed to be in  a
hurry, so we thought we would follow him to the Police Station, which we did.  As
there was nothing we went back to pick up the interview we had left. We
stayed there for about three quarters of an hour.”


In answer to the Coroner’s inquiry as to who was with him, witness  said he
was with Mr. L. RANDALL of the “Daily Express.”


The Coroner: Did you make an appointment with Mr.  GILL?


No, we called casually.


Was he willing to see you?


Yes, he was very frank about everything.


You have heard that this has upset him a lot. Did you get that  impression?


Yes. He said he didn’t resent the police visits because Supt.  MELVILLE was
courteous and had done his duty, but the constant local gossip was  getting
on his nerves. He gave me the impression of being an absolutely innocent  man.


Supt. MELVILLE: How many times have you visited the deceased while  you have
been in the district?


Three times.


This was the third time. Who put the questions?


Mr. RANDALL, most of them. He seemed to know him better than  me.


Were these questions on what you learned at the  inquiry?


Yes; they were in the papers.


What time did you go on Friday?


I was there ten minutes before you arrived.


You saw me go away and you followed me?


Yes.


I pulled up at Cleator Moor, didn’t I?


You pulled up, but I don’t know where.


You followed me round to a private dwelling house?


I didn’t know it was a private house.


(To the Coroner): I had a couple of fellows following me about. (To
witness): You then returned to Arlecdon Farm?


Yes.


What time did you arrive back?


Nine o’clock.


How long did you remain with the deceased that  night?


Three quarters of an hour.


You were practically  the last one to see  him?


Yes, I stopped behind to shake hands with him and to tell him to  cheer up.


Did you visit him on Saturday?


No.


Did you call there on Sunday?


Yes.


Was it you who got the letter?


I got a copy.


Who got it?


The “News of the World” man.


I gave certain instructions that the letter was not to be  given.


I never heard of them.


Mr. LIGHTFOOT: You would have made an excellent policeman.  (Laughter). He
was not only willing but anxious to communicate  information?


Very anxious.


The Coroner: There are letters to William JACKSON and Mr. and Mrs.  JACKSON
of Low Lees, but these letters only relate to business matters, so I  don’t
think they need to be read.

____________

“YOU KNOW I AM  INNOCENT.”


The letter left to Mrs. GILL was read by Mr. LIGHTFOOT as  follows: -


“My dearest Mary,


I am writing to bid you good-bye, as I am going to end it all on  account of
this unfortunate case. Whatever other people think you, at any rate,  know I
am innocent, and I wish to thank you for your faith in me. There isn’t  any
doubt that ….. But it will all come out in the end. I am sorry to leave you
like this, as we have been very happy together and I have looked forward to a
long and happy life with you and the kiddies. Statements that have been
going about are, of course, easy to make, but bad to refute. All of the dirty scum
up at Arlecdon will be satisfied now they have been the cause of the loss of an
innocent life. You must have a sale and leave Arlecdon, as I shouldn’t bring
the  children up in a place like this. I think they will be a joy and a
comfort to  you, as they all seem very intelligent. I should not make any of
them farmers,  but something else. Perhaps your parents will live with you, but
for God’s sake  don’t stay at Arlecdon. You will find all my affairs in order I
think.


“I never thought when we got married I would leave you like this,  but I am
sick to death of the endless chatter and scandal, and I am taking the
coward’s way out. You must tell Supt. MELVILLE anything he wants to know, and  then
perhaps he can get my name cleared, which will be better for you and the
children. I shall leave John instructions about sale, as he is nearest. It
will  be best to have it right away.


“Well darling, I will close now, wishing you all the best under the
circumstances. I am sorry I cannot stand it any longer, but I have thought a lot
about it. Good-bye my dear, good-bye. Your loving husband, Robert GILL. Kiss
thechildren for me.


After that, said Mr. LIGHTFOOT, there is what purports to be the  last will
and testament of the deceased.


SUPT. MELVILLE’S EVIDENCE.


In his evidence after he had read the letter addressed to him,  Supt.
MELVILLE said he was still inquiring into the case. He interviewed Mr.  GILL
on two occasions. He visited him on Wednesday of last week, and that was  the first
time he had ever seen Mr. GILL. The other occasion was on Friday night
about 5 p.m. and he would be in his company for something like half an hour.  There
were two or three questions that witness put to him. He must say that on
that night when he visited Mr. GILL he found two reporters closely closeted with
him. He asked him if he could have the keys to the cottage, and he got them,
and left about twenty minutes past five, proceeding to Whitehaven, and leaving
the  reporters at that place. They then followed witness to Whitehaven “like
two  greyhounds following a hare.”


It had since come to his knowledge that these reporters went back.  He had
reported this to the Coroner, who instructed him to have one of them
called.


Mr. LIGHTFOOT: Did Mr. GILL resent your inquiries?


Certainly not. He gave me all the assistance he  could.


Did he ever give the impression that he was letting it prey on his  mind?


I could not say. He seemed to be a very sensitive  man.


You interviewed Mr. GILL in the course of your duty?


Yes, in the same way I interviewed a score of other  people.


As a person who might throw some light on it?


Yes.


The Foreman: Has Mr. GILL made any complaint to you?


No.

______________

CORONER’S SUMMING  UP


In summing up the Coroner said he had not called Mrs.  GILL, because the
doctor informed him that, apart from any question of the  trouble, there
were important reason why she should not be called. There might  be a good many
things about the evidence which were in conflict, but there was  one thing on which
they all agreed. Their heartfelt sympathy must go out to Mrs.  GILL and her
young family, and all of the relatives of the deceased in this  terrible
bereavement and sudden calamity. Having said that, he wanted to warn  them
that in their deliberations there were only two things to consider. The  first issue
was how had Robert GILL come to his death. He did not think they  would have any
difficulty in answering that. If they came to the conclusion that  he died
by his own hand their duty would be to decide whether he did it when in
possession of all his faculties, and whether he was guilty of crime to self,
in  which case they would return a verdict of felo de se; or whether his mind was
deranged by the stories he heard and the statements made. In that case they
would find that it was committed while temporarily of unsound  mind.


They might think that when a man had taken the trouble  to write the letters
- clear, well written and well expressed letters - and when  he had taken
his own life in the deliberate way in which he seemed to have done,  they could
hardly say that he was lacking in some of his faculties; but they  must
remember that the strongest thing is life is self preservation. A man did  not do
things of this sort unless he was pretty far driven. It was possible to
conceive a man at his wit’s end writing letters like that. They might all be  part of
his deranged condition.


THE JURY’S VERDICT.


After a retirement of 20 minutes the Foreman said that on the first
question they had decided that Mr. GILL died by his own hand. On the second  question
they had decided that his mind had become unhinged by the rumours that  had
reached him concerning himself and the death of Sarah CORLETT. Death was due
to hanging.


The Coroner recorded a verdict that “Mr. GILL died by hanging  himself while
temporarily of unsound mind.”


Mr. LIGHTFOOT said the family would appreciate the Coroner’s  expression of
sympathy.


Supt. MELVILLE and Mr. SUMNER associated themselves with the  remarks of the
coroner.


The Foreman said they were all very grieved. It had been  particularly
distressing to him because he had had Mr. GILL’s children in his  school.
Anyone who knew these children, and who noticed how proud Mr. GILL was  of them, would
have been very loth indeed to connect Mr. GILL to the tragedy in  their
midst.


THE FUNERAL.


The funeral of Mr. GILL will take place this (Wednesday) afternoon  in
Arlecdon, St. Michael’s Churchyard, where the remains of Miss. CORLETT were
interred six days ago.


MYSTERIOUS LETTER.


In the course of his inquiries with regard to the Arlecdon murder  Supt.
MELVILLE has ascertained that Sarah CORLETT received a letter from some
person on the morning of October 15th, the day before she disappeared, but up to  the
present he has not been able to trace the writer and, we are asked to state
that he will be glad if that person will come forward in order that the
matter may be cleared up. Another point in regard to the murder is the fact that so
far  not a single individual appears to  have seen the unfortunate girl
leaving the farm on the night of October 16th or passing along the road on her way
to  her home at Asby, and again the Superintendent invites anyone who may
have seen  her to inform the police so as to assist them in clearing up minor
points.


A CONTRADICTION.


When seen by our Whitehaven representative yesterday Supt. MELVILLE  said
that a statement which appeared in a daily newspaper that morning, to the
effect that he had informed a Press representative that important developments  may
be expected shortly, was not correct.

____________________________