THE TEMPLETON MURDER.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2434, 6 January 1881, Page 3

THE TEMPLETON MURDER.

Walter Pringle Gibson was brought beFore the Bench at Christchurch. yesterday, charged with the murder, of William Kerrison, at Terapletori. The prisoner, who was defended by Mr Holmes, appeared quite cool, and suitably impressed with the gravity of his position. The witnesses examined were the same as, and their evidence a mere repetition of that given at the inquest. At the beginning of the proceedings, MrKolmes said he supposed that there conld bo but one termination to the present enquiry—the prisoner would bo committed for trial. He would earnestly ask the Bench not to send him for trial at the present sessions of tho Supreme Court. The evidence of Mrs Kinley, who had been living with deceased for over four years as his wife, was given in a clear, methodical manner, without a sign of emotion. When she began, Mr Holmes objected to the prosecution leading her from her statement at the inquest, and from that timo she went through it all again almost without prompting, in very nearly the actual words used before. Under cross-ex-amination, similarly, she did not exhibit the slightest flurry or hesitation. The coolness of those who had been the actors in the tragedy was the most remarkable. Charlotte Kerrison, sister of the deceased, and who had been living in the most intimate relation with the prisoner for two years, he being the father of her child, was apparently the most unconcerned of all. She brought her child in her arms into Court, and said what she had to say with as much sang froid as though she were a witness in some mere trilling squabble, until Mr Holmes probed her relations with the prisoner, when .she .slightly broke clown. The cross-examinations, especially on Kinley, were carried to considerable length, the Bench at one time interfering to enquire as to the use or relevancy at the present enquiry of Mr Holmes' prolonged interrogations. The drift of his enquiries seemed to be to endeavor to form a suggestion that Charlotte Kerrison having been unfaithful to prisoner, he had first turned her out, and afterwards, in an insane transport of jealously, followed her—she, and not deceased, being hk quarry. There was, however, nothing i elicited to bear out this theory, Miss Kerrison emphatically denying the insinuation against her, and Mrs Kinley was equally certain that the shots wornintended for deceased. After hearing the evidence read through, his counsel reserved his defence, and he was committed for trial at the present sessions of the Supreme Court. Great.interest was manifested in the proceedings, which, though only formal, occupied nearly four hours. The space allotted to the public in the room was crowded to inconvenience.—" Press."