THE CHARGE AGAINST LEWIS, THE HANGMAN.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1278, 16 December 1884, Page 3

THE CHARGE AGAINST LEWIS, THE HANGMAN.

The following is the evidence given by the Maori against Lewis, the hangman, for trying to induce him to commit a murder at Wellington : —He saw accused on the 3rd of the present month, near l he Bank of New Zealand, Lamb ton Quay. After they had had a drink they separated, but witness met the accused again soon afterwards. They met in Willis street, and walked up the thoroughfare together. They stopped outside the Union Hotel. Afterwards they wont up to Te Aro House, and from thence they walked towards Campbell’s shop. They did not go inside, but looked in at the window. Accused said, “ Look, there is plenty of watches and jewellery here. We will kill the man first, then the wife, and then take the things.” Witness said, “All right.” They then walked away, coming down into Lambton Quay. The arrangement about entering Campbell a shop was that witness should go inside and kill Campbell and his wife while accused remained outside and looked out for the police. They went up to the shop about 11.20 that night, and tried to open ihe front door with a key the accused produced. They found they could not open the door because there was a key already in the lock. They tried to open the door of Campbell’s shop with_ a wire key. The second attempt to get into the shop was made at 2,30 in the morning. The arrangement was that Campbell and his wife should be killed with a stick. The hangman put him up to a wrinkle by telling turn to knock Campbell behind the ear. They expected to find Campbell and his wife in bed. Witness did not like the idea of killing Campbell. He did not like to kill anyone. He had never intended to kill Campbell. If they had succeeded in opening the shop door he would have stopped outside, and allowed the accused to go in and murder the Cbinaman. He would then have gone down to the Police Station and told about the affair.

The Bonch held that the evidence was not sufficient to secure a conviction, and dismissed the charge. Lewis will still have to answer a charge of burglary.