AN OLD-TIME MURDER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2674, 19 June 1894, Page 4

AN OLD-TIME MURDER.

Sydney, June 16. The memories of an almost forgotten crime have been revived by the decision of the Government to release to-morrow Louis Henry Bertrand, formerly a welljjown dentist in Sydney, who was conyj£,f/e4 and sentenced to death in 1866 for the omrdsv of Henry Kinder, the principal teller in the City Bank, but whose sentence was subsequently commuted to imprisonment for life. From the revolting circumstances connected with the murder, and from the position of the parties (Mrs JJertrand and Mrs Kinder having also been charged in connection with the affair, but were liberated by the Attorney-General) concerned, the wse at the time was considered to be one of the causes cclebres of court business. On October 2nd, 1865, Kinder died, and it was giyen out that he had committed suicide by shooting himself. At the inquest Kinder’s wife gave evidence that Kinder had been under the influence of drink for some time, and threatened to destroy himself, but subsequently suspicious circumstances caused the arrest of Mrs Kinder on a charge of murder. She was remanded, and at the same time Bertrand and his wife, intimate friends of Kinder’s, were arrested on similar .charges. During the trial details of a most atrocious character were adduced, i uc ’'iding a itjla.ry of Bertrand’s and a bundle oi otters ‘written almost daily by him to Mrs Kinder, leaving n o doubt of the mala prisoner’s to of Kinder, with whose wife ,le had a former liason. Kinder had evidently been drugged, day by day, and finally despatched by pistol, it being suggested that Bertrand placed the weapon in deceared’s hand, leading to the supposition of suicide. Mrs Bertrand was released, as it was clearly proved that she had really no knowledge of the intended murder. Bertrand and Mrs Kinder were, however, in March, 1866, placed on trial. The female prison sr was acquitted and Bertrand sentenced to death. Most strenuous efforts were made by prisoner’s friends to secure a commutation, and advantage was taken of every legal and technical point. Eventually the cate was referred to the Privy Council, and after the lapse of two years tho sentence was, on the grounds of insanity, commuted to imprisonment for life. Bertrand, it may be said, was in Kinder’s company when the shot was fired, and although at the time the wound was inflicted no danger was anticipated, Kinder died four days later; and wlion the body was exhumed traces of poison were found. Mrs Kinder was a native of Auckland, aim jt is said that after acquittal she returned to Now Zealand, where she remarried. Bertrand has keen upwards of 2‘.) years in gaol, which is tho longest recorded life sentence in this colony.