How Orange man 'nearly driven mad' felt justified in murder act

Male widower of six years at the time, Leslie Joseph Quinlan lived in East Orange along William Street in 1924, with his sudden death on February 12 discovered by one of his four children.

As published in the Goulburn Evening Penny Post, it's understood the man's skull was "terribly battered, presumably with a blunt instrument" with three distinct wounds, showing that "a savage attack" had been made on Mr Quinlan.

After making inquiries, records say police in Orange grew suspicious of foul play involving the motive of jealousy, putting a man by the name of Thomas Henry Newton firmly on their radar.

"I lived a happy, honest, and decent life until my wife got in touch with Joseph Quinlan about 18 months ago," the man would later state to police.

"I cautioned him to keep away as he was doing wrong."

Mr Newton was a labourer who worked in Wellwood, roughly seven kilometres from Orange's centre, and was known as a "prominent member" and committeeman of the Orange Trotting Club.

Arresting the suspect, the man originally denied any knowledge of the crime to police, to a point where Mr Newton "strenuously protested his innocence".

Reported in the Broken Hill's Barrier Miner newspaper, the suspect initially offered to submit his clothing for examination to assist in the investigation.

But Mr Newton's wife, Muriel Ann Newton, would later be a witness in court, revealing an ongoing affair between she and the murdered man.

Days before his death, she and Mr Quinlan had stayed at the Victoria Hotel in Bathurst under the aliases, Mr and Mrs Smith.

Reported by the Maitland Daily Mercury, Mrs Newton told police if her husband had caused Quinlan's death, she presumed the reason for the act would be jealousy after discovery of the affair drew Mr Newton's attention some 12 months prior.

"I was told straight out that my wife had gone with Quinlan to Bathurst and had left the children to the mercy of the world in the street," Mr Newton said in his later statement.

"This, of course, hurt my feelings considerably."

Heading further east, Mr Newton's statement outlined how he went to Bathurst in search of his wife, but returned after no luck.

He would sit at the railway in Orange near an overhead bridge, watching near the station "to see if [his wife] would return with [Mr Quinlan] or not".

Later that day, Mr Newton said he eyed Mr Quinlan crossing the street with a horse and dray, moving to the man's house to spy on him there.

Mr Newton would later enter the victim's bedroom after believing he saw his wife inside.

"Some time afterwards, I entered the room in the dark and thought I noticed a woman in bed with him," he said after the fact.

"I then gave him one crack on the forehead with a piece of iron, then I ran away [around midnight].

"I took the piece of iron away with me after I struck the blow and threw it away on the railway line.

"I think I have done justice in my own cause, as I have been nearly driven mad by the way things have been going on."

When police took Mr Newton to view the deceased, it's said he responded with: "Yes, I recognise the features, it's a bad job."

Police said after owning up to the murder, Mr Newton then demonstrated how he killed Mr Quinlan - stating that with the first blow of the rifle, he struck the bedpost and bent the gun's barrel.

Then, when Mr Quinlan began to rise up, he allegedly told police: "I gave him another one."

Police would later find "the butt of a rifle" in a creek near the victim's house.

This evidence would tie Mr Newton's earlier gun purchase and licence to carry a firearm during the week, directly to the crime.

Post-mortem details for Mr Quinlan were provided by a Dr Wilson, a government medical officer, who said the victim's "skull was fractured from the right eyebrow to the back of the head".

Dr Wilson also noted seeing Mr Newton during the eight days he was remanded, saying he "did not seem to be unduly agitated".

"He appeared to think that what he had done was right," Dr Wilson said in court.

Following Mr Newton's trial, a jury returned a guilty of manslaughter verdict.

He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment "with hard labour" in Goulburn Gaol.