CHARGE OF ALLEGED MURDER.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 May 1920, Page 9

CHARGE OF ALLEGED MURDER.

WflLtlNG'foiJ CASE. ; , ::i'.;:i-i.'.'i- :-: ; 'Wellington, May 14. ; .-A, double-charge of 'Attempted iuurjbr ,was ..preferred -against a''dfmhvutiVc''arid ; prepossessing-looking yoiitli,'"Aubrey ,lheH v . befcre Mr. Justioo Merdroa.n at,the Supreme Court yesterday.'.'!" The .prosecution, alleged. that,'.on January '22, at-Island Bay, he tried to fatally poison William Murphy, Wellington's professional' rat-catcher, and M fi 6a JbhjuHc wsWo charged 'with the'theft of several articles,, -.of a total, -value of £lO \ 10s, the property of the Murphys. ' In outlining tie case, Mr. Macassey .said that Murphy,' senr., befriended the accused., whom he had-met. on'a'ship, where lie -was practising his profession, and took him to his home. He was kept there and treated to food, pictures;" cigarettes;' etc:', until January 22nd. On that date Murphy and his .son left the accused" in" the house,,. ii-nd .upon their return they noticed \sighi of disorder'and Ibel) making off. The accused's bag was packed and it contained some articles that hadbeen taken from a chest in the Murphys' '.room. Murphy, junr,, loosed some dogs, and . gave chase, ..eventually capturing Ibell when, he was some miles distant. He then.b.ad .in his possession some of the articles mentioned in the indictmont. Later, it was .discovered, that he had placed arsepic and strychnine in: .some ' condensed milk and in a jot containing some boiled mutton. When questioned by" the;"police he had admitted placing the -poison on the food, and stated that, at first he had only intended to spoil tie food, but thai when Murphy, senr., struck him be did not on re what happened.'- • ■ '"''Vl Evidence on the lines, of"-counsel's address, .was given by Murphy ' and-'his l son aiidby the/police. -.* ■-.- <'■ ; <i ■ ;- • Ci'oss-examined by Mr-1 Cornish, ' the. iwitnesses admitted "that the poison 'Was' sprinkled over the food and could easily :ba> seen. 'There had been no at,cQncealmeflt. ; William iMiitphy'saicf hq.'had always .-treated the accused as;amember of ..the family,, and : that food had'never/hee,n locked away .from:either, his, s.qn. or Jbell. , ;- ..,■;■ ..... ~■■ John Murphy admitted that some-,, times his father locked food away from

Mm. n ~• ....!■ .: ,- :: : 5 a: No evidence, war; .called 'for.-, the "de.fence,..but ST?., Cornish;.submitted-..that the. accused, did ~nof. have any, .intent •to. kip when he. placed the- poison on, t,he',fo'qd. - Jt .was merely, au, ;aet !o£ childisli petulance. ' i . , 'His'Honor said that the case was as ifestraordinary. ae fit /was serious.. ' IbeH had admitted breaking open a seaciiest belonging ■to' 1 ; serir, • and '"stealing the articles. ~ ihi.res'pect'j&f'the graver chaj'ges tnw.jury: had to decide.'what, the jiecus<s;ih»Cl'-jmeant to do when hs ;l pu(j. (the poison in the food. iTiie jury returned a verdict of "not i 'guUfJO M I 7tf»f z, at|mfip3cd£ ftfifrW leliarges. yfto ;,#«£■ a ■ Verdict of guilty" out they .recommended the to mercy on .account of hjs extreme■•I Tu remanding lbell for sentence His Honor intimated that he would pay Jiecd tO'the recommendation.