SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 89, 11 May 1909, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

CHBIBTCHUKOH SESSIONS.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Chris tchurcli, Last Night.

The criminal sessions opened to-day before Mr. Justice Denniston. He commented on tli e large number of cases, .but considered the district should be complimented on the absence of serious' crime. He was glad to note a considerable diminution in the cases of sexual crimes in this and other districts. Referring to the charge of murder against William Connelly, his Honor said it rose out of the Westport murder case, with which the Grand Jury were ao doubt acquainted. Undoubtedly the man had been done to death and they Were aware, or most of them were aware, that two men had been tried in Nelson on a charge of murder and that the evidence given was to a large extent that of the man Connelly. The two men had been convicted of manslaughter, and subsequently Connelly was charged in Westport and tried :n Hokitika for perjury, for having falsely given evidence that inculpated the two men. The j ur >' bad convicted Connelly who had afterwards made a statement in which he practically' admitted that his story was false, and that he (Connolly) alone was present and did the man to death. In these circumstances, although the ease presented many matters of interest and importance which required to be tried before the jury, it was mot necessary for the Grand Jury to trouble themselves with the details of the case. It wag sufficient for them that Connelly admitted that he was present and wag taking a slight part in the transaction. That alon e would justify them in putting Connelly on his trial for manslaughter. When in addition they had his statement, made after his trial for perjury, in which lie admitted that he was alone there, then, in his Honor's opinion, that was sufficient ground for them to find a true bill on the charge of milrder. When a man was killed in circumstances in which flie man in this case was killed, and "when there was no suggestion of accident, it lay upon the accused to satisfy the jury that the crime committed was less than murder. His Honor wished them to understand that his remarks only applied to the Grand Jury finding a prima facie cas'e. Accused's admissions were not proof of his guilt. He might have an explanation of th e matter, and neither the finding of a true bill nor the remarks made by his Honor would preclude the Court or the jury finding that accused's statements in the matter were untrue. His Honor's remarks were intended, he added, to justify the Grand Jury to find a true bill without gqing info the whole case, which was very complicated, and very elaborate, and so long as the Grand Jury were satisfied after examining one or two witnesses', that there was a prima facie case, they did not need to go into all the. details.

Subsequently the Grand Jury found a true bill in the murder case, but threw out two of the other fifteen bills. The following prisoners were sentenced:~Albin Carson, indecent assault, to »ix months; Albert Summerton, forging and uttering, admitted to probation for twelve months; Albert Clements, forgery, admitted to probation for twelve months; Henry J. Morrell, perjury, six months'; John Windsor, housebreaking and theft, nine months' (each concurrently) ; Jas. Henry Wilson, who pleaded guilty to forgery and uttering, received four months'; Charles Geddth, forgery and uttering, three years', and declared an habitual criminal; George Egan and Win. Auton were found guilty of breaking and entering, and the firetnamed received four months' and the second eighteen monks'. On a second charge against Autori, of, a «imii,r character, the jury, after two hours and a-half deliberation, were unable to and were dismissed, his Honor intimating to the Crown Prosecutor to apply for a nolle pro&'equL

_ WELLINGTON SESSIONS. Wellington, Lust Night. At .the Supreme Court to-day, Frederick Armstrong, alias George Pluck, was sentenced to two years' hard labor ior theft at Taihape (four charges), j