ALLEGED MURDER OF AN INFANT

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 548, 1 July 1909, Page 4

ALLEGED MURDER OF AN INFANT

VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY. (By : Telegraph.—Press • Association!)■ ■. ■ i ' 1 ■ Napier, Juuo 30. 1 1 •.•i'/Pbtf Wring of the chargo ofc child murdorr against Jolw Oliue and Alice ilaud Shepherd, ~ ivas'rosmnod to-day. i, , ' . ■ The police evidence detailing tlio: arrest, of.-the. accused, went to show tbut Cluio denied absolutely ever haviiigbOch in \Vood-, ville, Shepherd at hrst doniod all kndwledgo l : • of the att'air, but subsequently 'confessed , that's sho, had givon birth to a child in-a boardinghouse.at \Yoodvillb, and had. strangled it, She stated tbafrClino was with her Iho wholo of' tlio time, .': and that ho : took the infant away in a bag. No evidence was called for tho. defence. ;' ■ ,Miv G'ornford, the Crown. Prosecutor;- in ; •< llis address-to tile jury, spoke of tho caap as one that - was unprecedented in Ills ok- r penonco. •-•It. it .was assumed that tlio nc- -• cuscd wero: tho lather : and .mother of . tlio child, and if; the, medical evidence-woroaa-ceptcdjthoro could bo no reasonable doubt, lie submitted, that what occurred bad- been ,a jointly- concerted aot on the part of bbtli accused. •■ Mr. Dolan, on bfihalf of. tho male accused, ; contended that thofov had "bccn iio ' proof ■ : : that : the child- had had' soparate osistcaiM from its mother, and Urged that: tho'whole, v':' ol' tlio cvidencij -was, jsuroTy eifcumM&titial.- . Mr. Lusk, counsel'fof the. fotaalfe aceusedi- 1 said • accused, had bfien 'on 'si . holiday visit to'.Woodvillo, aiid. tho-Very fact that improper relations existed biWeein- them ,vvaa sulheiont reason, for 'their • assumption' of false njinfes, ; and the secrecy of thoir movo»- .' inonls... After tlio birth of. 1 n,,chikl, the xvo* man would he Wiysically ; incapable of com-' .miumg.thd deed with' which' she'lvas chai'cod.' Ho f pointed out Untruths in' the woman's confession, and submitted that tlio jury wci o ' entitled; to treat tlio whole .confession - with hesitation mid doubt. Couilsei also contcntlod tliat too woman believed tho infant was dead when tho tied tlio stiing round its NCCIW • ■ Tlio'Jiirjafter a, rctiremoht' of about' an hour and thret-quarters, returned a veididt of not guilty, . ■ ■ Othoi charges against the accused.' nrismg out of tho same affair, have vet to bo dealt with. ■ ■: ••• .' ■