Captured: Portraits of Crime 1870-1930 - Flipbook - Page 51
Evidence presented at Astill’s murder trial hinted that there were
ambiguities in his account of Mrs Hamling’s death. There were also references
made to his sexual proclivities. However, the Court heard that Mrs Hamling
had not been sexually interfered with and witnesses believed that she was too
religious for Astill to have ‘had his way with her’. Judge Innes summed up for
Astill’s acquittal and the jury found him not guilty. Astill was discharged,
the judge noting that he was ‘a nice looking little chap but precociously
vicious sexually’.
Arthur Astill does not appear again in the NSW Gaol Photographic
Description Books, 1870-1930. Records show that an Alfred and Arthur Astill
operated a father and son Blacksmith and Wheelwright business in Narromine
until 1899. An A.E. Astill married Sarah (Dollie) Seymour in Narromine in
December 1901 and they had a large family. Arthur Astill died on 5 June 1964
at Narromine.
51
