THE SHOCKING MURDER IN NORTH DUNEDIN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 938, 9 April 1880, Page 3

THE SHOCKING MURDER IN NORTH DUNEDIN.

(Condensed from the Morning Herald.)

The remanded charge against Butler for wilfully murdering the Dewar family, was resumed at the Gaol, Wfore Mr Watt, on Thursday last. Prisoner complained that he had been remanded until Saturday, and that he would be trouble to call witnesses; which he had intended doing. His Worship said at the close of the day’s proceedings he would grant a remand until Satin day, if prisoner desired it?. After the hearing of the further evidence as to the finding of the trousers by the Ranger of the Town Belt, which threw but little further light upon the case, the prisoner was 'committed to take .his trial at the ensuing session.

The prisoner then made the following statement—l am aware this is hot the time nor place for putting forward any defence, and I do not wish to make any remarks upon the evidence at present, except in one instance. Inspector Mallard produced certain written evidence, the value of which I do not think has yet hpeil discovered, and I think itjbears more the!impression ef his mind than mine. I deny that there is any point or value In it, and therefore I might not have noticed it, but there is a tendency in it which I complain of, and which 1 wish to warn the public of. Without having any value as evidence, itseemsto have been constructed either wilfully or carelessly with a view to prejudice me unfairly. The system he has pursued has been to select here and there a phrase, or part of a phrase, that I made use of and thrown them together in a wilfully or carelessly untruthful manner, to convey meanings that I did not intend, and impressions that were likely to lead the pilblid astray. He says, for instance, and the ;\vay he puts it implies a defiant and bravado manner—- “ Oh, you can get no evidence against me” ; and, again, “I suppose I shall be convicted, and if I am hanged, you shall see I can die like a man.” It is trite 1 used some expressions ; and more, which alters altogether the meaning conveyed. When Inspector .Mallard charged me with the crime, what 1 said amounted to this : That if that was what was against me, and all that he had against me, I did not fear, for I could not understand how convicting evidence could be brought against an innocent man. Still, as innocent men have been sacrificed before now, if I, also, were sacrificed, I sfißuld consider that all the evil of my past life would be washed out, and I would die like a man. because I would die an innocent man. I will say no more at present, but with this example of what I consider as an attempt made to create an opinion. I beg the public and the Press to abstain from all opinion until the time comes when opinion is free. Further than this, T reserve all defence, and to your Worship I will say I am deeply grateful for the fair and considerate manner in which you have created me. His Worship : Then you are committed to take your trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Dunedin for the trial of criminal casbs. Robert Butler appeared before Mr Justice Williams on Tues lay at the Supreme Court to make application for a postponement of his trial. An affidavit had been filed stating the grounds upon which the application was made, which were that the present state of the public mind would act to his prejudice ; that the time had not been sufficient to finable him to prepare his defence ; and that his photograph had been sold and was being sold, and the feeling of the public from which the jury would be drawn was thereby further excited against him. Mr Haggitt opposed the application, public feeling not being against the prisoner, but against the perpetrator of the crime. He had no doubt that the prisoner would have a fair trial. The prisoner urged that since his arrest, and even before the police investigation, the Press had been hostile to him. His Honour declined to grant the prisoner’s application to have the case adjourned for a month, and said that from what he had observed in the public prints he taffk no reason to suppose that such a conviction as that referred to by the prisoner existed in the public mind. He would take care to point out to the jurors that they would have no business to go into the jury box unless they were prepared to enter Upon the case free from prejudice. The case was then adjourned until Thursday, the loth inst.