DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 251, 29 November 1909, Page 3

DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED

THE ROBERTS CASE.

By Telegra] h. —Press Association.

' Christchurch, Last Night. * A telegram from the Minister of Justice was received to-day by the Lyttelion gaol authorities stating that hi* Excellency the Governor had been pleased to commute the death sentence passed last week on Arthur Roberts for the muder of Alice Newman, in the Silver Grid restaurant, to one of imprisonment for life. The official documents are not yet to hand, but w3ken the glad news of jus reprieve was communicated to RoIgrts by the chief warder (in the absence of the governor of the gaol, Mr. Ironsides, who is still laid up suffering from the effects of his recent accident caused by the capsizing of a police van), fee received it with great calmness and nad nothing to eay. He had been lo»k----uig forward with great, confidence, as « he fully expected the reprieve, and oad been in good spirits, while he has wept weu and his appetite has been exeellent. Rev. J. J. Bates and Mr. A 3. J y evan « elia t, have been visitJBgßoberta regularly in his cell. , There are now seven men in Lyttelton fool serving life sentences, three for murder and the others for serious Oimes It is somewhat of a coincidence J™L , r> y?- J. Hunter, who appeared tor Roberts at til© trial, to-day forwarded a largely-signed petition to the Minj®t®r for Justice for transmission to his •Excellency the Governor praying that Roberts' sentence might be commuted.