These were some of the local stories making headlines in years gone by. This week we look back at the Herald of September 7, 1945:
• Alleged to have murdered wife
Women packed the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court on Friday when Henry Butler, a 50-year-old clerk of Wenden Avenue, appeared before Mr IP Ferreira for preparatory examination on an allegation of murder.
The proceedings concerned the death of his wife, Evenlyn, aged 30 years, who was admitted to the Far East Rand Hospital on August 17 and succumbed the following morning.
Mrs FM Classens, who occupied a room at the Butler’s home, gave evidence of a conversation between them on August 15.
She heard Mrs Butler exclaim, “Please, Henry, don’t do it. I did nothing wrong.”
Butler replied, “come inside.”
Mrs Classens was away from the house on August 17.
On her return that evening, she heard the Butler’s four-year-old child, Pam, say: “Mummie fell off the bed.”
On going to the Butler’s room, Mrs Classens found Mrs Butler sitting on the edge of her bed.
Mrs Butler’s left eye appeared to be injured and was bloodshot.
Her hand had a fresh bruise on it, there were discolorations on her leg and arm, and dry blood was on her lips.
While Mrs Classens was attending to her, Butler entered.
He said that during the night his wife had taken a bottle of liniment (a liquid that you rub into the skin in order to reduce pain or relieve stiffness) out the wardrobe and had swallowed some of it.
Mrs Classens sent her daughter to summon an ambulance.
Dr B Levin stated he attended to Mrs Butler when she was admitted to hospital and she was in a critical condition.
Mrs Butler was in a state of delirium and had to be forcibly restrained.
She was muttering, but it was impossible to understand her.
Bruises of varying sizes covered her body and neck, and her tongue was swollen.
Mrs Butler died at 3.45am the following morning.
Detective B Noyle, who interviewed Butler at his home on the morning of August 18, said he appeared to be quite normal.
He told Detective Noyle that his wife had committed suicide by taking liniment.
When the witness arrested Butler on August 21, he became excited and said, “I didn’t murder her. You have my report. Why arrest me?”
The enquiry was adjourned until September 13.
• Brakpan streets most dangerous in Union
Traffic accidents in Brakpan have grown more costly in life and limb than anywhere else in South Africa.
Although the number of mishaps have gone down, more people are being killed and injured.
This grim picture emerges from statistics issued by the Safety First Association for the first six months of the year.
As compared with the same period last year, accidents decreased by nine – from 118 to 109.
One hundred and forty-one motor vehicles and 31 bicycles were involved.
Fifty-seven people – 15 more than last year – were injured and eight others lost their lives.
The fatality rate rose by 400 per cent, the number of persons losing their lives last year being two.
The figures show that three people are killed or injured – mostly injured – in every five accidents.
Brakpan’s fatality role was more than double that of Springs and Benoni combined.
The severity rate (ratio of injured and killed) was 59.6 per cent – the highest in the Union.
• Garage theft
Police on the Reef are searching for a man who is alleged to have decamped with £133 in cash belonging to a Brakpan garage.
It is understood the man was sent to the bank with the money on Saturday morning.
Nothing has been seen of him since.
• Highveld Airport
About 30 men are working on plans for the new airport near Kempton Park, and it is expected building will start in six weeks’ or two months’ time.
• Tea tablets
The rising cost of tea production in Ceylon (present day Sri Lanka) led to an extensive inquiry by the Tea Research Institute into manufacturing processes, with the result that tea can now be reduced to tablet form, which is much cheaper to produce and transport and will no doubt be cheaper to the consumers.
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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Thelma Koorts (editor) brakpanherald@caxton.co.za
or Stacy Slatter (news editor) stacys@caxton.co.za
or Miné Fourie (journalist) minev@caxton.co.za
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