SOUTHERN INTELLIGENCE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 8 February 1866, Page 2

SOUTHERN INTELLIGENCE.

TRIAL poe MURDER ax INVERCARGILL. The Southland News of the 25th January has the following summary of the evidence in the case of Regina v. M‘Conne!l, for the murder of Mrs Farrar, iu Spey-street, Invercargill, in November last. The trial took place before Mr Justice Richmond, and resulted in the acquittal of the prisoner. Mr T. M. Macdonald conducted the case for the Crown. Mr Harvey, with whom was Mr Macassey, of Dunedin, were retained for the defence.

The first witnesses examined were simply questioned regarding matters of detail. A model (constructed by Mr Smith) of the Whare iu which the murder was committed, was submitted to the inspection of the jury, and which showed the position in which the body was found, and the different articles of furniture in their places, and materially assisted in the elucidation of the points brought forward in evidence. Dora Walker and Mrs Buckley, who were the first persons present at the discovery of the body of deceased, gave evidence respecting the position of the corpse, and the state of the room. In their opinion, the appearances presented Were not such as to induce the belief of violence having been perpetrated. They agreed in their evidence as to the main points. Neither was able to state definitely the position of the stick which was found under the body; one witness (Mrs Buckley) stating that she only saw the point projecting a few inches on one side of it. The evidence of the police as to the appearances presented by the body was also inconclusive. In fact, it did not appear that at first any suspicion was entertained of foul play, the impression being that deceased had did of apoplexy ; and it was only after the discovery of the stick by Mr Middleton that it was considered necessary to call upon the authorities. The result of their investigation did not at first bear out the impi'ession of violence, inasmuch as Detective Thompson and Sergeant O'Keef. when questioning M‘Connell, did not think it requisite to give him the usual caution, believing that the case was one of sudden death only, in which his evidence might be required. The discovery of a hat, which (with fho ctloL-) was known to belong to M'Connell, aroused a suspicion, and a post mortem examination by Dr Monckton, in the presence of Dr Deck, the coronor, pointed to the conclusion that death had resulted from violei co. At the examination just concluded, the evidence of the witnesses did not in the slightest degree connect M‘Connell with the crime, beyond the finding the hat and stick at deceased’s residence. His own statements to different townsmen were singularly contradictory, but, as his Honor remarked in summing up, they were not to bo regarded as evidence of his perpetration of the crime, but rather as indicative of a desire to screen himself from the imputation of having been in deceased’s bouse for an improper purpose. The evidence of the medical witnesses was conclusive as to the cause of death, not differing materially in any particular. The counsel for the accused was apparentally successful in an attempt to establish that death bad resulted from apoplexy, either serous or common.

No rebutting evidence was brought forward by the counsel for the accused.

His Honor, in summing up, which occupied an hour and three-quarters, gave a most elaborate resume of the evidence. The weak points of the case on the part of the Crown were most impartially commented on, the inferences favorable to the accused being with equal prominence stated. The Jury retired at about 5 o’clock, and after remaining in deliberation until half-past nine, returned a verdict of “ Not Guilty.”

At 10 - 43 p.m. on the 29th ult,, an earthquake was felt at Bealey, Canterbury; the shock was Tory sharp but not of long duration. A requisition, signed by 200 electors of the city Christchurch, has been presented to Mr James Edward Fitz Gerald, requesting him to allow himself to be nominated as the representative of that city in the House of Representatives. Mr FitzGenerald has announced his intention of acceding to their wishes.

A slight shock of earthquake was experienced at Helscn, on Tuesday morning at half-past two o'clock. It lasted three seconds.

T.. 0 Nelson Examiner, of the 3rd instant, contains the acecu it of a most disastrous flood in Maitai and Brook-street valleys, by which three bridges were swept away, and a great deal of damage done to private property. The N=w Zealand Advertiser, of the sth inst., aays: —Sin e our last issue nothing has been heard of the escare 1 Maori prisoners beyond the fact that some of them have been seen prowling about Pahautanui. On Saturday last Mr G. F. Swain»on, accompanied by a number of friendly natives, left in pursuit, under the guidance of one of the eiptured Maoris, but wa bare not heard with what sucom.