The Recent Murder in Wellington.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7984, 22 November 1905, Page 2

The Recent Murder in Wellington.

TERRY'S TRIAL. Sentenced to Death. (Per I'rcas Association.) WEIjLIXUTON, Nov. 21.. Lionel Terry was put forward fol trial nl (the |Supreme Coust this morning, charged Willi having mur-dered-Joe [Young, a Chinese,- in llaiiiiiig Struct, '.ou the night of Sunday, Sept. 21. Prisoner was not represented by counsel, lie retained iln.i erect hearing and calm self, possession thai characterised him at llie preliminary (proceedings. When iisl.ed lo plead, he said he objected Id the word -"guilty." His acticn was right .tiud. justifiable. : Ilia illonour the Chief Justice took (this ' as a plea of ".Not guilty," and the hearing of evidence procccdod. The wilnesses called repeated the testimony they had given in the lower Coun. a 1 0111, Terry's actions on the -nigWt! of the murder. Counsel for the Crown (Mi- 11. IJ. licit) did not address the jury, but accused made a long l statement, setting forlh h s views. In this he expressed. I'egret that the. drastic measures adopted in order to attract attention 'to 'the evils consequent on al en immigration had been regarded by some as the result of mental aberration. It was (suggested* by the Coroner at the inquest that he was the victim o/ an in- i sane •delusion, land it had subsequently been rumoured that his inr tellect had been impaired by sunstroke. Although freely 'admitting that such rumours to a certain ex- i tent were excusable in ,view of the extraordinary nature of I the case, mora especially as the danger of an Asiatic invasion appeared to be, little appreciated 'by the people of New 'Zealand, and although such rumours ha'd'in some instances emanated (torn these who were inspired by friendly motives towards himself, it. was obvious that should they obtain general belief the reforms which he was endeavouring to establish might be seriously delayed, lie wished, therefore, to -deny all such rum. ours or statements, and to 'declare that ho never sullcl'ed from sunstroke or any other mental ailment. His. action was the result of careful deliberation, and was compelled by merciful considerations. The 1"' seiner then went on at great length to refer In the danger of aliens living

ir, the. country, declaring that drastic measures were necessary to call attention to them. He murdered .Toe Young for the inn-pose of testing the stability of tlio law relating to the lirrtcclion of aliens. His Honour in summing op .said the evidence* showed that accused did commit the crime with which ho whs

charged. Accused had said in his statement that murder, which the law said was one of the greatest crimes known to law, was not a crime towards Chinamen, but that was not so. The law applied to every human being in Mew Zealand, whether Maori, Chinaman, or of any other race. The only ijuestiou that might be raised was whether accused knew the nature of the act with which he was charged. The law provided that if a person knowingly and intentionally killed another he must be found gbi ty of that offence. It might have been suggested that accused did not know what ho was about and suffered from some aberration. There was not evidence before them that accused did not know the nature and quality of the act, There was no doubt about the facts of the case and there was not justification, and no excuse, therefore it was not necessary that he should say more. The evidence and accused's admissions showed that ho did kill and murdtr this Chinaman and that being so the jury's duty was in accord with their consciences to Hud a verdict. If the jury added to their verdict any recommendation he would convey )t to the proper authority with whom rested the responsibility of carrying out the law. The jury letircd at seven minutes to 1 p.m., and returned at 1.25 p.m. with a verdifc of " Guilty," with a strong recommendation to nievcy on the ground that prisoner was not responsible for his actions, as he was suli'oring mentally from craze caused by his intense hatred towards the mixing of British and alien races. His Worship: Lionel Terry, you have been found guilty of the crime of murder. Have you anything to say why the sent uce of death should not be passed on you 'i Prisoner: No, except to repeat what I said formerly, that my action was right and justifiable. His Honour: Lionel Terry, it is not i.ecessary for mo to say anything to you in tlie position in which you are placed. It is my duty to forward the recommendation of the jury to His Excellency the Governor and his advisers, as the responsibility rests with them. With regard to, the sentence which the law says I must now pronounce upon you (assuming the black cap), the sentence of the Court is that you be taken from here to His Majesty's prison, and from there to the place of execution, and that you be hanged by the neck until you be dead, and may the Lord have mercy on your soul. The prisoner tightly compressed his lips, but retained his colour and walked down the steps to the cells below the dock wjth erect iigure and firm tread,