SUPREME COURT, HOKITIKA.

Kumara Times, Issue 2352, 12 March 1884, Page 3

SUPREME COURT, HOKITIKA.

CRIMINAL JURISDICTION. Tuesday, March 11. [Before his Honor Mr Justice Williams.] MURDER. John Donohue was indicted for the murder of James Gifford. After the jury empanelled to try the question of the prisoner's sauity had returned to Court with a verdict that the prisoner was sufficienty sane to take his trial, the Court was adjourned, and resumed again at half-past three o'clock, when JohiJ Donoghue was indicted for murdering James Gifford, at Maori Creek, on the4tb day of January, 1884, to which charge he pleaded "not guilty:" The prisoner was defended by Mr Guinness. The following jury were empannelled :—John Hagan, John Mitchell, Thomas Newton, John Delaney, Thomas Jones, Joseph C'.oakpott, William Longman, James Liddle, Richard Hobbs, Thomas M'Farlane, Samuel Jack, Stephen Glossop. Mr M'Farlane was chosen foreman. The Crown Prosecutor ordered the following to stand by :—William Ivilleen, John S. Pearn, Michael Murphy, Denis Hannan, William Magill, Thomas Murphy ; and the following were challenged by the counsel for the prisoner : James Renton, William Morris, James Morgan, Henry Good, Archibald Howie, F. Emmerson, C. Priest, Moses Barrowman, John Comport, A. Nisbett, Robert Marshall, and S. Babom. Mr Purkiss having opened the case to the jury, then called witnesses John E. Smyth, a Government surveyor; James Alexander Thomson, a miner; Drs. C. L. Morice and Acheson, and Joseph William Poynton, a miner, who were examined and cross-examined, and the Court adjourned at G. 30 p.m. till 10 this morning.