PALMERSTON MANSLAUGHTER CASE.

Manawatu Herald, 9 February 1899, Page 2

PALMERSTON MANSLAUGHTER CASE.

Tha charge of manslaughter oriff'jri'. d again->t Pitrick Murphy, ilias Thomas K -ily, wa* investigated o the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Evidence was led by the Crown, to ho effect that the prisoner and E n^st N'oklen, two flaxmill hand?, arrived in Palmers' on N >rth late on fch» n ; ghr. of the 23 d December. N j xfc morning some discussion took place between Murphy and Nioklen, wno were quite sober, as to where rhey should spend the Christmas holidays — in Palmerston or in We lmgton. Nicklen made up hi • mind to visit the Empire City, and he ft irked off to the railway station to catch the half past 6 o'clock train but, probably in consequence of the delay caused by tha discussion, he missed it. Ha returned to the Masonio Hotel, where his mate and himself had had " shake downs " for the night Murphy was there standing under the verandah, and Nicklen complained to him, in the hearing of bystanders, that it was through him he had missed the train. This was denied by Murphy who appears to have loat control of himself .when the complaint wa3 presisted in, for he struck Nicklen two heavy blows about the jaw or n°ck. According to the evidence of Dr Reed, who was sent for by the hottlkeeper, these blows caused the fracture of the vertebrae, from which the unfortunate man almost immediately died. Mr Jellicoe, counsel for the defence, suggested that the fracture might have been caused by a voluntary jjark on the part of the deceased, by his falling gainst the wall of the hotel, or on ro the asphalt footpath, or by tbo *uen who lifted him into the hotel. Thore wa^ no evidence, . however, hut Nicklon fell slowly under tb» j olow* which he received, being, as v vets, assisted down by tha wa 1 )f>ar which he was standing when struck. The jury found th° prisoner and he was reminded to nable a report to be obtained from he probation officer as to the career md character of the prisoner.