GUTTERIDGE TRIAL

Hokitika Guardian, 30 April 1928, Page 2

GUTTERIDGE TRIAL

Australian Press Assn.—United Service LONDON. April 28. Ihe jury was absent 180 minutes and returned a verdict of guilty. Roth men received the sentence unmoved. Browne, in a long statement after tbo verdict, said that his conscience was quite clear. If he had got off he would have got penal servitude or something else, which was worse than death.

Kennedy said that he was not afraid of death because he knew in the hereafter, lie would he united with one of the most darling girls in the world, his wife, who had experienced this terrible ordeal. Airs Kennedy, sobbing loudly, hurried from the Court, hut her hysterical screams resounded in the builil-

The Old Bailey doors were impreccdently locked during the summing u]). A policeman was put on guard. Nobody was allowed to outer or leave the Court, which was packed. The result is exoected to he regarded as one of Scotland A aid's best achievements. It. certainly represents the most complete job ever undertaken. Downright orders tun I the murderers must he found led to an unremitting search, which did not -slacken a single dav. While the public imagined the allair was being forgotten, the detec-

tives combed out ear-stealing gangs and took over two thousand state-

ments from persons whom they i

qnired to account for their wheienboiiis < n the night of Lhe murder. Lastlv. a man arrested lor a drunken brawl at Bristol! provided indirectly (he first clue, lie was employed at Browne's garage, and discoveries there proved Browne was probably concerned. The man was released from the brawling charge and charged with car-stealing, which was not connected with the murder, in order to have him released while lhe murder inquiries were completed.

LONDON PRESS COMMENT. LONDON. Aoril 28. Old Bailey, the home of tense reality, has seldom staged a more drama lie scene than the closing stages of the , Brown-Keiinedy trial, which never has been duplicated in a British criminal court. The public followed with eager interest the long chapter of the slow-moving event which was a triumph for Scotland Yard.

From the very first, the savage brutality of the murder has aroused indignation. The characters ol the murderers, who revealed themselves as enemies of society. in the Idlest sense, afforded psychological studies of abnormal perverted types of humanity. Scotland A’ard has given a reassuring proof of its pertinacity, courage, competence and scientific attainments. Browne, possesses a quality fitting him lor highly useful citizenship. His inventive mind is shown h.v several mechanical devices of his own construction. Ills amazing strength gave power and confidence to his criminal activities. He has a distaste for di-nk and even for smoking, which gave him a valuable reputation as a temperate man. But all of his talents have been subordinated to his incurable criminality. The manner in which Scotland A'ard gathered the dues is nothing short, of a masterpiece, without example in the most sensational detective fiction, and will rank as a most brilliant achievement in defective history.

Everywhere the death sentence is hailed with a unanimity never lieiore displayed in connection with a. sensational trial.

For example, the "‘Daily Ex pi ess devotes an editorial to it. in which it savs: “There will he universal satisfaction at the verdict. It was a wail-

ioniv inhuman crime, only conunittable by men prepared to slay anvthing in their path. They shot Constable dutteridge with no more compunction than a man shoots a rabbit. The earth will he well rid of such fiends.”