Louisa Collins

Louisa Collins (1849 – 1889) was an Australian poisoner and convicted murderer. Collins, who was dubbed as the "Borgia of Botany" by the press of the day, endured four trials in front of 48 men, after the first three juries failed to convict. Collins was hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol on the morning of 8 January 1889.^[1]

Early life

Louisa was born at Belltrees near Scone, New South Wales. She married at a young age to Charles Andrews a butcher. She would have nine children in this marriage, seven of whom survived infancy. ^[2]

Not much was known about the family until December 1886, Andrews had moved his family to the inner city suburb of Botany. Andrews had work as a wool washer that used chemicals to wash the wool before export. The chemicals used included Arsenic. In order to made ends meet the family would take in lodgers. One of Andrew's co-workers was Michael Collins, and Andrews had offered lodging to him.

Rumours abounded that Louisa liked the male company of her boarders a little too much. Charles Andrews discovered the liaison between his wife and one particular boarder, Michael Collins. Mr Andrews confronted Mr Collins and threw him out of the boarding house in December 1886.^[3]

On 31 January 1887 Charles Andrews signed a will that was drawn up by a clerk at the insurance office. It was soon after this that Charles started to feel unwell. He was suddenly and violently ill with stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea. He died on 2 February 1887. The widowed Mrs Andrew quickly applied for the life insurance of her dead husband.^[4]

Locals were not surprised that the widowed Andrews took up with Michael Collins soon after the death of her first husband. Louisa Collins had stated they were married on 9 April 1887 that was with in two months of Charles Andrews' funeral,^[5] with the bride marching up the aisle four months pregnant. The resultant child (John Collins) died and was buried in a pauper's grave. ^[6]

Unfortunately Collins' new husband fell ill after a year of marriage displaying the same symptoms as his predecessor. Michael Collins died on 8 July 1888. Collins life was not insured. He, too, was a wool washer, who worked with skins treated with arsenic.

Mrs Collins neighbours were now suspicious as both of her husbands had died with the same symptoms. Andrew's body was exhumed and a chemical analysis show it had the presence of arsenic poison. Michael Collins autopsy found the cause of death arsenical poisoning. Mrs Collins was arrested as she was the only person who nursed the men during their illnesses. The Coroner recommended that she stand trial for the wilful murder of both men.

Charles Andrew's son Arthur would give evidence that his father was a healthy man who could work a fifteen hour day if necessary. It was after Collins leaving the house that Charles first became ill.

Some of the most important testimony was given by Louisa's only daughter, May, just 10 years old at the time of the first trial who gave evidence that the family kept Rough On Rats – a deadly arsenic-based poison. Sydney was suffering a rat plague in the 1880s, which led to boom sales for a product called Rough On Rats. The product was basis of the case against Collins.

Louisa had to endure four trials, the first three failed to find a verdict. Collins did not call any witnesses for her defence.

The first full-length examination of the case, Last Woman Hanged: the Terrible True Story of Louisa Collins, by Australian author and journalist Caroline Overington, was published in 2014.

Victims

• Charles Andrews 52
• Michael Peter Collins 26

References

Bibliography

• Holledge, James Australia's Wicked Women
• Main, Jim Hanged , Executions in Australia ISBN 9781920910839
• Overington, Caroline Last Woman Hanged ISBN 9781460703625