THE ORARI MURDER.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 677, 13 June 1914, Page 5

THE ORARI MURDER.

CRIPPS GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER. A LIFE SENTENCE. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PKESS ASSOCIATION.] Timaru, Thursday. The Orari murder case was heard at the Supreme Court yesterday, Henry .Cripps, a single man, 27 years of age, being charged witb having murdered Adam Stevenson, a man 69 years of age, on April 25tb. The evidence for the prosecution was similar to that given in the Lower Court. The defence set up was that the accused struck Stevenson in self defence, and under provocation. Another defence set up was that Crippa was imbecile. The accused stated that Stevenson struck him fir3t. Four doctors were called in to give evidence as to Cripp's mental condition. Two of them considered him to be an imbecile and a degenerate, but that he knew right from wrong. Other witnesses stated that Cripps, a3 a boy and youth, was stupid, and that Stevenson was cantankerous and difficult to get on with. After a retirement of two hcurs and a quarter, the jury returned a verdict of manslaughter. The judge sentenced Cripp* to imprisonment for life, with hard labour, stating as he did so, that the prisoner ought not to be at large again. ;