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Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 26, 25 October 1921, Page 4

There is in existence in Wellington (remarks a southern paper) a sort of "chamber of horrors,” or black museum where the instruments of many notable climes are housed. Within tho next few days this gruesome collection is to be increased —enriched is scarcely the word by three articles from Dunedin, two of which were recently unearthed after lying hidden in some police store-room for about forty years. The most interesting of these is a largo blunt axe which figured in the trial of Robert Butler for the, alleged murder of the Dewar family in a house in Cumberland Street oarly in tho year 1880. Butler, although acquitted on the charge of murder, was sentenced to 18 years’ penal servitude for burglary from a residence in High Street and” another concurrent sentence of 10 years was imposed for larceny from the late Bishop Moran. Tho accused conducted his own defence at the murder trial, and addressed tho jury for some four hours. He was later hanged for murder in Australia. The. second article to be forwarded to Wellington is a sledge-ham-mer handle with which a prisoner who escaped from custody iy'December, 1888, is snld to have, knocked down a detective who sought to arrest him.