THE KAUANGAROA MURDER.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 December 1917, Page 5

THE KAUANGAROA MURDER.

FRESH EVIDENCE REGARDING • BENNIER'S SANITY. By Telegraph.—Pros? Association. Wangamii, Dec. 3. It is reported that an important development has occurred in the case of Frank Edward Bennier, sentenced Jo dcatli for murdering his wife at Kauangaroa on September 10. His counsel lias received an urgent telegram from an up-country ti-le»raph office ill Nelson stating that evidence of former insanity lon Bennier's part could bo given. This, if confirmed, would have an important hearing on tho case. At the trial Bennier's counsel acknowledged that his chief difficulty was his lack of evidence of liennicr's previous career. Immediate steps are being taken to tost the accuracy of the latent communication, and the Minister of Justice has been already communicated with. Wellington, Last Night. The Justice Department has received a lettev from "Mr. C. E. Mackay, counsel for Bennier, who was condemned to death for the Ivauangaroa murder, stating that since the trial he had received information from a justice of the peace in the Nelson district that some' time ago Bennier was insane. Mr. Mackay suggests that if this evidence liad boen available at the trial it might have influenced the jury in their verdict, and he asks, therefore, that the matter be investigated before the fate of Bennier is finally decided. An investigation' will be made by the Department.