PONSONBY MURDER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10603, 31 May 1920, Page 5

PONSONBY MURDER

FINAL SCENE 111 COURT THE SENTENCING OF GUNN. At ten minutes to six on Friday evening “the summing up was completed by Mr Justice Chapman in connection with tho trial at Auckland of Dennis Gunn, charged with the murder of Augustus Edward Braithwaite, at Pomsonby, on March 31st. At five and twenty minutes past right tho jurymen filed back into tho lioxi The comparative shortness or their deliberations had led to the idea that the decision was for a conviction. When it was seen that several of the jurymen were obviously suffering from mental stress, that conviction deepened, and a touse hush fell upon tho court, in which a considerable crowd had gathered to see the concluding scones of tho trial. His Honour had taken his soat, and the registrar had commenced his question to the foreman. when it was noticed that the accused had not yet appeared in the dock. A pause for his arrival resulted in a deepening of the suspense. Gunn took his stand at the bar, his demeanour showing no special signs of apprehension. All through the afternoon he hud displayed increasing evidence of disquietude, his face gradually assuming a ghastly pallor, but when he faced the court for the last time this was no more noticeable that it had been previously. The registrar then put the question, "How say you gentlemen, guilty or not guilty?"' The foreman promptly answereii, "Guilty.” "And so say you all. ’ the next question, received a subdued murmur of assent. Addressing the prisoner at the bar, the registrar then asked the prisoner if he had anything to say as to why the sentence of tho court should now be passed upon him. Mr E. J. Prcndorgast said: "On behalf of the prisoner, Your Honour, I have nothing to tay."

JUDGE TO THE PRISONER. Mr Justice Chapman, labouring andor obvious emotion, then addressed Gunn: “Prisoner at the bar, you have been, found guilty, .after a long trial in which the jury has shown the greatest care to see that you should only bo convicted on the most absolutely convincing evidence. TTiat they have given an absolutely true and just verdict there can be n > possible doubt. T do not wish to say more than, that the evidence proves, in my mind, absolutely conclusively, that you deliberately murdered a worthy servant of the State-, Mr Braithwaite.” Assuming the black cap, His Honour proceeded; <tr Tho sentence of the court is that you he taken to the place of execution and there bo hanged by thc neck until you are dead.” Gunn, who. had listened without motion or change of expression, here turned, at the direction of the warder, and left the dock.

GOOD WORK OF THE POLICE. “1 wish to say this further/’ pursued his Honour, “that I consider the conduct of the police in tliifi ca-so lias called for my highest commendation. They have shown the greatest diligence and intelligence, and at the same time the most absolute fairness to the prisoner ivho.iuifi now boon condemned. 1 do not propose to mention any particular names, because though some members of tho police force have come into greater prominence than others, if I mentioned names I should be overlooking some, who while less prominent, have been possibly equally worthy or commendation. AN INFALLIBLE SYSTEM. “I wish to say that this case has onco and for all vindicated the system of finger-print investigation and identification, if vindication were needed. This is a very notable case of a public servant murdered in his home. That the jury should have arrived at a just and true conclusion and based its verdict on finger-print evidence, is a vindication of a scientific .system, winch il l properly applied is infallible. I .will make a special report to the Minister embodying what I have been saying concerning tho police in this case.’ Tho Court was then adjourned, and the crowd dispersed in silence.