The Kaiwhara Tragedy

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 15, 20 July 1889, Page 3

The Kaiwhara Tragedy

bPINIONS AND INCIDENTS.

Bays the Post :— The petition praying for the commutat on of the capital sentence upou .Louis Ghent's has been circulated, and has been signed by an enormous number of people of all classes of the community, including a very large number of Magistrates. In Kaiwarra it has been signed almost unanimously.

We (Poet) notice that the press generally throughout the colony express the utmost astonishment at the verdict of the jury in Kaiwarra murder case.

Mr H. F. Davis, in a: letter to the Post, writes in connection with the Chemis affair :— Sib— Now that the case is finished and the verdict of twelve intelligent men; is given, a- few words: in ; favour , of, , the; prisoner maj not be out, place.: He was^ ever ready, in acts >of mercy;; and:- at ' alf times placed his life at 'the disposal of others, I have a boy in ; my employ -who would have been drowned had not Chemis, at the risk of his life, jumpod into the water and brought him safe to land. It is in the remembrance of the Kaiwarra residents how he swam off to two young men and saved them from a watery grave in a stiff sou-easter when their boat ; capsized, and he requested nothing j should be said of it. The Petone j beach was the scene of a fearful dis- j aster. Chemis, with others, laboured the whole nighfc, wrestling with wind and wave, to save his fellow-maD from a watery grave. I remember the time he accidentally shot Donald he was for months completely broken down at the awful but unavoidable deed of his hand, and yet he calmly receives the verdict at the recent sitting of the Supreme Court. The Wanganui Herald remarks : — *'To anyone who has carefully read the evidence on which Louis Chemis was con victed of the murder of Thomns Hawkins the verdict must appear strained. The Chief Justice himself refused to make the ordinary statement that be concurred in the verdict of the jury.

If at a later penod circumstances should transpire to «stablish a probability of Chemis innocence of the crime— as happened in the case of Walter Tricker— he might be released. We hope the extreme penalty will not be inflicted."

The Christchurch Telegraph in a lengthy article on the murder case : — It was quite possible that the real assassin might have loaded the gun in Chemis house or have left the torn part there in order to direct suspicion to Chemis. It does seem to us that the evidence in regard to the remnants of paper was not nearly so conclusive as is popularity supposed. The dagger found in Oheinis' possession was sheathed and rusty, and without the least stain of blooi. In Addition to this there was not a speck of blood found on the prisoner's clothing mor was he seen at or coming from the scene of the murder, nor were any footprints of his found there, looking at these and other points which seem to negative the inference to be withdrawn from the almost solitary piece of circumstantial evidence upon which the jury decided to hang the prisoner, we must say that we share the surpribe existing in "Wellington that the prisoner was fouud guilty. We do not tbink the evidence was sufficient for a conviction.

Yesterday's Times says:— Mr Jel licoe had" a long interview with Chemis last evening in the pre Bence of the gaoler and a shorthand writer (Mr Gore), appointed by. the Government,, who took down a very lengthy statement made by the prisoner with regard to his case.

(PER TJNITBD PBBBB ASSOCIATION.) ■ New Plymouth. July 18. A very strong feeling is being expresssd here at the verdict in the Chemia case. Letters are appearing in the papers expressing surprise at an y jury coming to such a decision with only the evidence that they had before them. The Herald comments strongly on the matter, and says the case has been bungled from beginning to end, when the Judge had to sentence the prisoner twice over, "so that there might be no semblance of error."

Wellington, .July 19

The petition in. favor of the reprieve of Louis Chemis is being numerously signed. The prime movers have written to the Minister of Justice to name the date when it can be handed in, and also if he will allow a deputation to present it to his Excellency. Sir Jeliicoe has written a warm letter to the Minister of Justice protesting against the course, adopted in a Government shorthand reporter leing present at the interview, and asking for a private interview with prisoner. Government: have - not -taken the Chemis case into consideration,- aa-they are waiting for the judge's formal report, and the evidence which Mr Jelicoe is said to be preparing