TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Te Aroha News, Volume XII, Issue 1759, 14 August 1895, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

A PORTRAIT OF THE QUEEN Wellington, Saturday. ' A copy of Angelas’ now celebrated jubilee portrait of the Queen is to be presented to Parliament by Sir John Hall. The-portrait was painted for Sir John by special permission of Her Majesty,, by the artist engaged by her to. make copies of other pictures. The picture is handsomely framed, and measures ten feet by seven feet. It arrived by the lonic, an<j when opened this morning was greatly admired by all who saw it. I understand it is to be hung in the lobby*. ' %

THE MASTERTON MURDER CASE VERDICT OP INSANITY Wellington, Monday. *- At the Supreme Court, the trial of Andrew Somerville, for the murder of Arthur Herbert at Masterton, concluded last night, the accused being found not guilty, on the ground of insanity. The murder took place on the 6th June Somerville had been working for Herbert and had sued him for wages, regarding, which there had been some dispute. The case was before the Court on that day, and it was adjourned. Somerville, on leaving the courthouse, purchased a revolver, and subsequently, when talking with Herbert in the street, drevr it, anh exclaiming, ‘ Take that!’ fired/ The bullet entered Herbert’s body in the reigon’ of the heart, and as he staggered across the street Somerville fired two more shots at him before he fell dead. The bystanders scattered in all directions, but two constables who had witnessed the whole affair, promptly arrested the*murderer, who made no resistence. Mr Jellicoe defended. The defence was that the accused was not responsible at the time for his actions. Evidence was called to show that he was of weak intellect,., and that there was idiocy in his family, and that his parents were persons of drunken habits.

FORGERY IN HIGH LIFE. London, August 10. Lady Francis Canning has been committed for trial on the charge of forging her father’s name to bills on exchange. She has admitted the offence. A FEARFUL TRAGEDY. London, August 11. A tragedy is reported from Wakefield where a widow named Reynolds, with two sons and grandson, were murdered by Wright, a lodger. The woman was horribly mutilated. Wright attempted to commit suicide after setting Are to the cottage. So far no motive is known for the crime. ,