Old news from Armidale and New England

Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW), Wednesday 12 November 1919

COONEY CREEK MURDER

MURDERED WOMAN’S DAUGHTER IS ARRESTED FOR THE CRIME.

Svdney, Wednesday.

Ida Willmott (22), daughter of the victim of the Cooney Creek tragedy, appeared before the magistrate at Hillgrove yesterday, charged with having feloniously and maliciously slain Rose Willmott.

On the application of a detective the accused was remanded until Saturday, and was later brought into Armidale and removed to the gaol there.

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A recent message from Sydney stated that a lonely residence some 10 miles from Armidale, on the Hillgrove-road, was the scene shortly after midnight on Thursday of a ghastly murder.

Mrs. Harry Willmott and her 22 year-old daughter were the sole occupants of the house. Mr. Willmott being absent some miles away. Shortly after midnight a mysterious knock came on the door, and Mrs. Willmott, who inquired if it was her husband, received a reply in the negative. There was a short silence, then a man suddenly jumped through the bedroom window. A life-and-death struggle between Mrs. Willmott and the intruder followed. Mrs. Willmott must have freed herself, for her daughter saw her jump through the window, followed by the man, and apparently the struggle was continued in the yard outside. The girl saw no more, for in her state of hopeless terror she hid herself under a bed.

A man named Angus Cameron casually visited the residence in the morning and found Mrs. Willmott lying dead in the yard with terrible injuries to her head. Searching the house Cameron found the terror-stricken girl still in her hiding place.