THE TIMARU TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2239, 15 February 1921, Page 2

THE TIMARU TRAGEDY.

REGINALD MATTHEWS SENTENCED TO DEATH. INSANITY PLEA NOT UPHELD. Christchurch, Feb. 12. The trial of Reginald Matthews for the murder of Clarence Mag,static at Timaru on October 27th last was concluded in (he Supreme Court before Mr Justice Herdman. A verdict of guilty was returned, and the prisoner was sentenced to death. His Honour, in summing up, (pioted the legal definition of insanity. As applied to Ihe present ease it must be interpreted as meaning that the accused did not understand that he was shooting and killing, and that his insanity prevented him from knowing that what he was doing was wrong. “Does the evidence satisfy you that he did not know that he was shooting a man, and that it was wrong? If it does, you will acquit him on the ground of insanity. If, on the other hand, you are convinced that he knew that the shooting was wrong, that if he shot lie was likely to kill, and that in shooting he was doing wrong, the defence of insanity goes, and it' you are convinced that he was there you "ill convict him.

QUESTIONS FOR JURY. Ilis Honour, after summarising the medical evidence, asked: (l) Is there sufficient evidence called by the Crown to prove that Wngsfaffe was killed by the accused at Timaru on October 27th?

(2) Has the accused, by the evidence. fill tilled the onus cast upon hint of establishing to your satisfaction that if he killed Wagstafie at Timaru on October 27th he was sufficiently insane to be within the meaning of the code?

“If you arc satisfied, after considering the evidence, that the prisoner did commit the act of murder on October 27th, but that he did not; know the nature and quality of the act. he was committing, then it is your duty, under those circumstances, to find that the prisoner was insane at the time of the committal of the offence, and to acquit him on the grounds of insanity. If. after weighing the evidence, you take theview that insanity has not been proved, and that Matthews understood the nature and quality of Ihe act he was committing, your plain duty is to convict him. If you have any doubt about the matter, then it is your duty to acquit him.” FINAL SCENE IN COURT.

The jury retired at 11.37, and returned an hour later with a verdict of “guilty,” and further, that it had found him t<> be sane at the time of the commission of the crime. When the usual question was put by the registrar, Matthews, who was labouring under deep distress, bit hard into his lip for it moment. It appeared as if he were about to speak, but no words came. Mis Honour placed the “black cap” on his head.and passed the sentence of death. The jury thanked the coui't for the courtesy extended them, and His Honour complimented the police officers concerned in the ease on the manner in which the evidence had been collected and presented to the court.