BUTLER’S CAREER.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2216, 24 April 1880, Page 2

BUTLER’S CAREER.

Tiic “ Sfnr” says that (be convict Untler, falsely represented bis age to lie twenty-nine when about to be sentenced for burglary. Duller was born at Kilkenny, Ireland, in Id-iJy and is therefore tbirly-two years of age. it appears that In; graduated in crime in LSOO, at the early aage of twelve, when lie received twelve months for vagrancy. At sixteen he was convicted of robbery under arms. In Victoria lie was known by the aliases of George Lee, James Wilson, and Midway The Victorian police described him as “ an expert burglar who usually carried Jirearms.” He left Victoria with the intention of joining one Maurice do Marvon, another discharged prisoner from I’entridgc. During the last twenty years of his life he lias spent seventeen ami a half in prison. He arrived in A’ew Zealand in IS7O, ami served a short .sentence for larceny, after which he received from Judge Williams, four years imprisonment

for six separate burglaries, to Jill of he pleaded guilty. The Dunedin "Times which severe!}' censured Judge W iliiams for summing up strongly against the evidence of the medical exports and in favor of the accused in the murder trial, complains that by making Butler’s sentences of 18 years and 10 years for burglary and larceny concurrent instead of cumulative, this dangerous convict, should ho live, will be let loose on society again while still at his best. The “ Herald ” trikes a somewhat similar view, and contends that imprisonment will only make criminals of the Butler kind fiercer than ever, and and that it would bo well for society if, without proof: of murder, they could be submitted to the hangman.