Career
She killed newspaper boy, John Johnston. lieutenant is speculated that she killed the boy trying to obtain his small amount of money. Her daughter Janet, testified against her, describing how the body of the paperboy had been wheeled through the streets on a pram.
At the trial her defence put forward a plea of insanity, but she was convicted on a majority verdict with one juror against.
However, the jury unanimously suggested mercy. A petition was put forth to the Secretary of State for Scotland pleading that the sentence be reduced to penal servitude due to her gender and the fact that she was a woman destitute, whose husband had abandoned her and was left homeless and penniless.
The Secretary rejected this, stating that he would not interfere with the law. Newell was executed on October 10, 1923 at Duke Street Prison, Glasgow.