SENTENCED TO DEATH.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4662, 15 February 1924, Page 2

SENTENCED TO DEATH.

HIGGINS FOUND GUILTY.

LAST STAGES OF TRIAL. At the Supreme Court at Auckland yesterday afternoon sentence of death was passed upon John Christophei Higgins for the murder of two schoolboys at Waikino on October 19. The court was crowded to its utmost capacity during the closing stages of the four days’ trial, and counsel’s speeches and His Honour Mr Justice Stringer’s summing up were followed with rapt interest. As His Honour stated, theie was nothing in the summing up to indicate what His Honour’s own opinion was upon the case.

The jury retired to their room tn cnosider the verdict at 11.25. The crowd in the court apparently did not anticipate a lengthy wait, for few, if any, left the precincts of the building. An hour and a-quarter afterwards there was a rush into the courthouse, and a. few moments later the jury re-tiv-ned, looking unusually solemn. There was no doubt to the observer what their verdict would be, and the solemnity of the jurymen was soon reflected in the faceto of the public as well as those engaged in the trial. A hvJMi fell upon everybody as the Registrar, ’Mr Terry, asked : Gentlemen of. the Jury, have you agreed upon your verdict ? “We have,” responded the foreman. “Do you find the prisoner guilty or not guilty ?” ‘We find the prisoner guilty.” “And so say you all 1” “So say we all.” The foreman added . If your Honour pleases, it is the wish of the jury that I should express to your Honour their appreciation of the tact and courage of Mr Reid, the schoolmaster, and also their high appreciation of the manner—the very able manner —in whicn the case has been presented to the court and jury.

The Registrar: Prisoner you have been found guilty of murder. Have you anything to say why the sentence of the court should not be passed upon you ? • Mr Sullivan : The prisoner does not der-ire to say anything.

At ‘his stage in the brief proceedings the Court Crier called for silence while the judgment of death was pronounced upon the prisoner, but it was unnecessary, for one could have heard a pin drop. His Honour then addressed Higgins; “Prisoner at the bar, after a eareful trial and after an able defence, the jury have found you guilty of the crime of murder.” Then, placing the black cap upon his head His Honour continued: “It only remains for me ty pass upon you the sentence prescribed by law, which is that you he taken to the place of execution and there be hanged by the neck until you are dead.”

Higtins heard the sentence quietly, there being no difference in his demenaour from the moment he entered th*- dock. He stood in a stupid fashion until a warder tapped him on the shoulder, when he turned and went down the steps at the repr of the dock out of sight of the public. Mr Meredith, the Crown Prosecutor, then addressed the Judge, and said that the thanks of the community were due to the lady teachers who a*the time of the tragedy shepherded the children finally to places or safety : and also to the miners who rushed from the battery absolutelv unarn ed, and who got to the school at the earliest possible moment before the police, with a view of protecting human life and doing what could be done to prevent further harm. His Honour said that the way these people acted under very trying circumstances was a matter for congratulation.