THE MURDER OF ALICE NEWMAN

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 676, 29 November 1909, Page 7

THE MURDER OF ALICE NEWMAN

. DEATH COMMUTED, IBy -. Telegraph—Proa •. AnoclaMon.)' • ' , Christchurch, November 27. A telegram, from the Minister for Justice' was receivodto-dny by the Lyttolton Gaol authorities stating that his' Excellency tho Gpvernor had been, pleased to commute the death sentence passed last week on Arthur Roberts for the murder of Alice Newman, in the Silver life Jt-cstaurant, to or,o of, imprisonment; for

rhe official documents are not yet to hand, but when the glad news of! his reprieve was oommunicated to Roberts by. the chief warder (in. the absence of tho governor of tlio caol Mr, Ironsides, who' is sti(Maid up suffering from the effects of his recent accidont caused by the capsizing of the police , van)-he received it with great calmness, and Had nothing to say, ' Ho: had been looking forward to it. with great, confidence, as if ho fully expected- it; and had,been in good spirits, while he has and,his appetite has-been excellent fhe Rev. J J. Bates and Mr. T. I. Sniail. lav evangelist, have,been visiting Roberts regularlv in his cell. " . ' Thero are bow eoven'men in Xvttolton Gaol sernng hfe sentences, threo for murder and 'others for-period,crimes.-;lt'is Boinewhat of a coincidence that Mr. W. J. Hunter - who appeared for. Roberts at. the . trial, to-day' forwarded a largely-signed petition to the, Minister ,fpr Justice for. transmission te' his' Excellency the Governor, prpying that Roberts's Renfenoo., might bo commuted. ,-.