The Timaru Poisoning Case

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 89, 3 February 1887, Page 2

The Timaru Poisoning Case

HALL FOUND GUILTY AND . SENTENCED TO DEATH. [PEE UNITED PBESS ASSOCIATION..! Dunedin, February 1. Mr Chapman concluded his address at 2.12 to-day, after which His Honor summed up, and the jury retired at 6.20 p.m., and returned into Court at 10 minutes to 8 with a verdict of guilty. Of all the people in the court perhaps the prisoner was the most unmoved, and when asked if he had anything to say why sentence should not be passed on him he answered clearly and firmly that he did hot think it would be any use for him to say anything. Judge. Williams said he agreed with the verdict of the jury. He then assumed the black cap and proceeded to pronounce the last most dread sentence of the court, saying, " I do not think it is in the least necessary for me to add one word to the

sentence which by law I have te pro-, nounce. The judgment of the law is that you, Thomas Hall, be now taken from this place where you now are to the prison from whence you came, and thence to the place of execution, and that there, in the manner and form by law appointed, you to be hanged by the neck until you are dead." He then said that he would order the execution to be respited until the.question of law regarding the evidence was decided by the Supreme Court. The Judge's voice trembled delivering the sentence, and so oppressive was the solemnity of the scene that there was scarcely a person in court unmoved except the prisoner.