ONEWHERO MURDER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2475, 31 May 1915, Page 3

ONEWHERO MURDER

KEALS FOUND GUILTY

DEATH SENTENCE PASSED (By Teleerftph.—Press Association., Auckland, May 30. It was not until 4 p.m. that the jury found a verdict of guilty against Norman Edwin Keals in the Supreme Court on a charge of having murdered Mrs. Edith Emma Keals aud her infant atOnewhero last February. The jury retired at 11.45 a.m. ; and returned into court four hours later, when the foreman aunounced that they had not agieed. , "Do you tliink there is any chailct* of vour agreeing?" asked His Honour the" Chief Justice,. Sir Hobort Stout, "or .is there anything I can do to help you in any way?" "I do not think so. Your Honour, replied the foreman. "It would not be desirable I should say anything."

His Honour: Perhaps you may agree if you retire for another half-hour. The jury accordingly retired, and returned into court at 4 p.m. The Registrar asked: "Have you agreed upon your verdict?" The foreman. "We have. Guilty 1 The Registrar: Norman Edwin Keals, you have been convicted of murder. Have you anything to say why sentence of death should not be passed on you ? The prisoner made neither movement nor remark, and the usher,, stepping into the witness stand, said: "Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye!" and then commanded all men to keep silence whilst sentence of death was pronounced upon the prisoner at' the bar. Amid deathlike silence His Honour, in a. low voice, said: "Prisoner at the bar—l have now to pronounce one of the most solemn sonteneee that can be pronounced by one mail upon another, and in doing so I shall follow the form laid down b.y statute." His Honour then assumed tho black cap, and said: "It is that you be taken from this place to gaol, and from thence to the place of execution, and that you be there hanged by the neck until you be dead." Turning to the jury, His Honour said: "Gentlemen of the jury, I have to thank you for the service you have rendered to the country. You are now discharged."