THE WESTPORT MURDER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3006, 1 October 1908, Page 5

THE WESTPORT MURDER.

CONNOLLY CONFESSES,

A SENSATIONAL SEQUEL. BY TKIjKUBAFH—PKK.SB ASSOCIATION. HOKITIKA, September 30. Connolly has confessed to the murder of Burke at Westport. His confession is to the effect that he took the man out of the hotel will the i~itention of robbing him. He went to a shed, where he stood Burke up against a dray. In the struggle he hit Burke, knocking him down. Connolly then lost, his temper, and kicked Burke, inflicting fatal injuries. A knife was not used. A knife and one of the pipes found on Connolly were ,Burke'g,, Mrs M. Pearce, who gaye evidence, was not about at the time of tha attack. Hallman and Andersen, now serving a sentence of seven years for the manslaughter of Burke, are innocent men. The story of their connection with the crime and reference to the tobacco as a connscting link were concocted by the prisoner while in gaol, in order to save himself. Connolly avers that he did not wilfully commit the murder, robbery being his only desire.

Chief Detective M'llveney received ithe confession from the prisoner when he interviewed him after the .trial and sentence last night. The detective asked Connolly, now that he had had a full and fair trial, if the verdict was a just one. Connoily, hanging his head, replied: "Yes, air," and in reply to further questions, agreed to tell the true story to M'llveney. He then did so, hit. statement being reduced to writing by the detective, afterwards the statement was read over to prisoner in the presence of the gaol officials, Connolly assenting to its correctness, and signintr the document in plain, .'bold handwriting, "William Connolly." After the Nelson trial, when Hallinan and Andersen were sentenced, Detective M'llveney at that time .went to Connolly, in company with the Crown Prosecutor, Mr Myer?, and asked him if the verdict was correct. Connolly then adhered to his former version of the three being implicated. Jhe case excited great interest .here, and last night the Court was packed to hear the verdict. The judge's summing up was generally in favour of accused. He told the jury they were practically trying the same iissue as the Nelson jury. The jury were nearly four hours absent, and, their reversal of the Nelson finding is now vindicated by Connolly's concession, which will be a great relief ;to ithe public mind.

(COMMENTS BY THE JUDGE,

I Later. 1 When the court assembled this l.mo,ming his Honor said he supposed Mr Hannan, for the defence, would notproceed with his application for a •new trial in tne Connolly case. Evtn (assuming that tlie pr sontr had not made a confession, he would not grant I a new trial, aa he hai indicated when pasting sentence. He desired to say that the result showed the- ab'•wllute correctness of the verdict of .iihejjurv. List night he had omitted uo-teikit'f his thanks to the jury, and •nuw he;desired to do sr>, hoth .for h'ijeolf and on behalf of the couhilt»s, for their long and patient service. He desired to publicly thank tfcvemifor the great care and consider .ition exercised over the verdict. The subsequent confession by tne ipr.isoner would relieve the mind of ithe {jury as to their correct eetirtfate,, and it bad relieved his mind over an extremely difficult, intricate, and puzzling case. Mr Herdman and Mr M'Donald, solicitor, Westport, were to be congratulated on the ißbeps taken to vindicate their two nliients, Hallinan and Andersen. Hi« (Honor had communicated the result ■of ithe proceedings to the Minister •of Justice, and no doubt the Exe(Gutiwe Avould take the matter into ithetir .immediate consideration. The Jfelson jjucy had given their verdict .on (Jihje il'acts before them. He repeated that the confession had reilie.ve.ri 'his mind, and that of the jurymen also, over a very complicated case, and he asked the Press to ■pu'biHoly express thanks to the juryto the country.

MATTEK BEFORE PARLIAMENT. Bsr Telegraph—-Press Association. WELLINGTON, September SO. Wihan .the Jlouae cf Renresentatives Resumed to-night Mr Colvin asked without notice what steps the <S*»»er.n;m.ent intended to take in regard" to ihe Westport murder case. The Pwme Minister., in the. absence «q£ tifae Minister, of .Justice, said that the tCovecnment had been advised of the .position and was aware that Connolly ihad feigned a confession. It was .the desire k of the Government to do what Wits fair and right towards (the two aaien undergoing imprisonment. Tihe proper course wouW ibe followed; 4hat was being done .the necessary action would be taken to-morrow nasaning.