THE ALLEGED MURDER AT TEMPLETON.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2142, 6 January 1881, Page 3

THE ALLEGED MURDER AT TEMPLETON.

Waller Pringle Gibson was brought up at a Court h Id on Wednesday in the City Council chamber, charged with the wilful murder of William Kerrison, who died on Tuesday i-i the hospital from the effects of a shot fired from a pistol on December 25th last. Messrs R. Wostenra and J. Ollivier, J.P.’s, occupied the Bench. Superintendent Broham conducted the prosecution. The prisoner, who was defended by Mr Holmes, appeared quite cool, and suitably impressed with the gravity of his position. The witnesses examined were the same as, and their evidence a mere repetition of that given at the inquest, full particulars of which appear elsewhere. At the beginning of the proceedings, Mr Holmes said he supposed that there could be but one termination to the present enquiry—the prisoner would be committed for trial. Ho would earnestly ask the Bench not to send him for trial at the present sessions of the Supremo Court. If that were done it might be simply giving the man’s life away, as there could not possibly be time to prepare for his defence before that tribunal. He was not prepared to say that the Bench would not bo justified by the law in committing prisoner to tho present sessions, but at any rate they had power to do ns he suggested, and hoped they would do so. The Bench said they thought it would be their duty to let the case go to the present session. Prisoner could make an application in the higher Court, which no doubt would receive proper consideration. Mr Holmes said that would involve great expense, but he supposed there was no other course open to him. _ The evidence of Mrs Kinley, who had been living with deceased for over four years as his wife, was given in a clear, methodical manner, without a sign of emotion. When she began, Mr Holmes objected to the prosecution leading her from her statement at the inquest, and from that time she went through it all again almost without prompting, in very nearly the actual words used before. Under cross-examination, similarly, she did not exhibit the slightest flurry or hesitation. The coolness of those who had been tho actors in the tragedy wag the most remarkable. Charlotte Kerrison, sister of the deceased, and who bad been living in the most intimate relation with the prisoner for two years, he being the father of her child, was apparently the most unconcerned of all. She brought her child in her arms into Court, and said what she had to say with as much sang froid as though she were a witness in some mere trifling squabble, until Mr Holmes probed her relations with the prisoner, when she slightly broke down. Tho cross-examinations, especially of Kinley, were carried to considerable length, the Bench at one time interfering to enquire as to the use or relevancy at tho present enquiry of Mr Holmes’ prolonged interrogations. The drift of his enquiries seemed to be to endeavor to form a suggestion that Charlotte Kerrison having been unfaithful to prisoner, he had first turned her out, and afterwards, in an insane transport of jealousy, followed her—she, and not deceased, being his quarry. There was, however, nothing elicited to bear out this theory, Miss Kerrison emphatically denying the insinuation against her, and Mrs Kinley was equally certain that the shots were Intended for deceased. After hearing the evidence read through, his counsel reserved his defence, and he was committed for trial at the present sessions of the Supreme Court. Great interest was manifested in tho proceedings, which, though only formal, occupied nearly four hours. The space allotted to the public in the room was crowded to inconvenience.