A WOULD-BE MURDERER.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 137, 20 June 1901, Page 2

A WOULD-BE MURDERER.

ARNETT SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Invercargill, last night.

Tlio trial of Charles Henry Arnett, for an attempt to murder Charles Milno by placing strychnine in his food at Edendale, in October last, concluded to-night, the jury returning a verdict of guilty. Mr Justice Cooper passod the maximum sentence, imprisonment for life, saying that the man was not fit to be at large. The crime of which Arnott (who is a Riverton half-caste) was convicted was deliberately planned to got rid of Milne. The latter was a rabbiter, employing others, and had dealt with a Dunedin rabbit buyer, for whom Arnett was agent at Mataura. Arnett appropriated the proceeds of Sullivan’s cheques to Milne, to the extent of JIMOO, forging namos of different parties to covor up the defalcations, and when Milne pressod for his money Arnott sot a day on which he would squaro up with him. Arnett had bought strychine, and on the 29th October procured moro at Mataura, and proceeded to j Milno’s that night, miles oft. Eutoring the hut he seemed, taken aback to find Milno thore. The settlement was not to take place till two days later. Aftor somo talk Milne loft the hut to seo to the horse, leaving Arnett alone with all tho materials of dinner on tho table, of which Milne and his mate had partaken. Milno and Arnett left tho hut together, but aftor walking some little distanco away tho latter made an excuse to part company, and was afterwards seen by a witnoss on the road betwoen the Hutt and whero ho had parted from Milne, tho inference being that ho had returnod to tho hut aud placed poison in tho sugar and buttor. At tea all tho rabbitors wore taken suddenly ill, and in consequence tho police took tho matter up.' An analysis showed deadly quantities of strychnine, and tho detectives, in tho courso of investigation, found that Arnett had stolen Milno’s monoy. That put them on tho track. Arnett was arrested for theft and forgory, and got three years. In tho meantime tho poisoning case was workod up. It was evident that had Milne died Arnott would have been releaved of tho liability which he had promised to wipo off two days later. Tho Crown brought soparato charges, indicting Arnett last week for tho attempted murdor of Milno’s mates, Gordon and White, when the jury disagreed. The time in which tho poison was placed in the food was narrowod down to ono hour, and no ono could bo found to say that he had seen anyone but Arnett on tho road near tho luit in that

hour. Accusod said ho had bought poison to kill rats for a man who was to givo him ten shillings for doing so, but tho man was not callod to give evidence for tho defence. Arnett was quite unmovod when sentence was pronounced.