She was arrested after acting suspiciously and the discovery of the body of a 13-year-old newspaper boy, John Johnston.
She married and had a daughter, Janet McLeod, but was widowed when her husband was killed in World War I.
The following day Newell and her daughter set off on foot with an unwieldy bundle carried on a Go-Cart.
[7] On 26 June Newell and her husband appeared at Airdrie Sheriff Court where they were both accused of murder; they made no plea and were returned to prison.
[8] On 8 September 1923 Newell and her husband appeared at the Glasgow Sheriff Court and both pled not guilty, while he also lodged a special defence of alibi[9] Newell and her husband were both put on trial and the case was heard by Lord Alness at the High Court in Glasgow and the case began on 18 September.
[2] Her daughter Janet testified against her, describing how the body of the paperboy had been wheeled through the streets on a pram.
A petition was put forth to the Secretary of State for Scotland pleading that the sentence be reduced to penal servitude because of her gender and the fact that she was destitute, and husband had abandoned her and was left homeless and penniless.