The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1895. MURDER, OR MANSLAUGHTER ?

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 293, 15 June 1895, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1895. MURDER, OR MANSLAUGHTER ?

Turn verdict of the Wellington jury wbo found Nicholson guilty of manslaughter for beating a woman to death, has excited much adverse criticism. An opinion prevails among many that a verdict of ■■ wilful murder " followed by the execution of the felon would have better attained tbe ends of justice. We have read the reports of tbe trial as they appeared in the Wellington papers, and from what we gathered we certainly think that the jury only did their duty, and returned a proper verdict. In summing up Hi 9 Honor, tbe Judge, clearly drew tbe line which divided the ciine of wilful murder from tbat of manslaughter, and tbe members of the jury exhibited wise discretion in accepting tbe experienced guidance of the Judge. For the offence of which he was found guilty, the man bas bad meted out to bim sufficient punisli ment. That he deserves all the opprobrium tbat can be heaped upon bim cannot be denied. Still it would have been a crime against society and an outrage against the law to hang bim simply because his past life bad been an evil one, leading up to the crime for wbich he is now being imprisoned. Tbe cry of " blood for blood " h„s been raised in tbis case out of sympathy with the unfortunate woman whose dreadful end created sucb a sensation. On the otber band we cannot disguise tho fact that a number of persons witnessed tho repeated assaults upon her by Nicholson or where tbey did not see them tbey heard her agonised cries for help, without being moved in the smallest degree to go to ber assistance. As to Wellington juries sympathizing with the criminal classes, "we do not believe they are any better or auy worse in that respect than any other English jurymen Tbey have their faults and their prejudices ; but we have confidence that in every case tbey honestly do their duty to the best of their ability. That they make mistakes and allow of ap parent miscarriages of justice cannot be denied, but the system bas yet to be invented wbich will be perfect in every phase and under all circumstances.