Appearing in court with her throat heavily bandaged, a woman told the Bolton magistrates a remarkable story when Thomas Arthur Holland, 61, pensioner, of Hulton-lane, Bolton, at whose house she was employed as housekeeper, appeared to answer a charge of attempted murder.
The woman, Mrs. Sarah Mullineux, 46, of Choeley New-road, Horwich, described how Holland acted in a strange manner, walking about the house muttering to himself, and saying the neighbours were robbing him of food and clothing.
On the day of the alleged attack she went to the kitchen sink, where Holland stood with an open razor. Suddenly she felt his arm round her neck. "A slash was made at my throat and I felt a sudden sharp pain", she said.
Det. Riding described how, when he arrived at the house Holland said, "How is she? This is awful. Can I show you something?"
He produced some butter and pointed to a half-bottle of milk and other articles of food, and stated they had all been tampered with.
"She has been poisining the food for a fortnight," he added.
When charged, Holland declared: "My mind was not clear. I was worked up into a frenzy. I did not realise at the time what I was doing. I know sounds incomplete. I know there is something short, but cannot quite phrase it."
Mr. H. Hurst, borough analyst, who examined the food, said none of it had been tampered with.
Holland, who pleaded not guilty, and reserved his defence, was committed to Manchester Assizes in custody.
(Published in the "News of the World" on May 09, 1937)