Brother-in-law murdered with axe

Tuesday, 26 July 1921

In Aalten, during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, a certain H.J. Jansen had his skull crushed with an axe by his brother-in-law S. while he was already in bed. Although his condition was nearly hopeless, he was transported to Arnhem by train. On the same train, his brother-in-law, who had been arrested in Winterswijk, arrived in Aalten in handcuffs. He was taken to the town hall by constable Blom from Aalten and state constable Hendriks from Winterswijk to be interrogated.

The victim passed away in Arnhem the following night. He leaves behind a widow and six children. The brother-in-law S., the suspected perpetrator, was transferred to Zutphen on Wednesday. He is unmarried. The causes of this tragedy are family disputes.

On 24 August 1921, the District Court in Zutphen heard the case against H.H. S., a labourer from Aalten, suspected of murdering his brother-in-law H.J. Jansen with an axe in his home on or about July 25, following a party, while he was lying in bed, as a result of which his skull was split and he died a few days later.

The defendant claims to remember nothing and says he was drunk. However, on the night in question, he told one of the witnesses, a certain P.: “I did something to H. He might die.” J. was found in a small side room about 15 meters from his bedroom. In the bedroom, blood spatters were visible on the wall and the bed. The Public Prosecutor demanded a 4-year prison sentence. The defence counsel, Mr. Wildervank de Blécourt, pleaded for clemency.

The District Court in Zutphen sentenced the suspect S. to 4 years in prison, in accordance with the demand, with credit for time served in pre-trial detention.