THE WESTPORT MURDER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3029, 28 October 1908, Page 7

THE WESTPORT MURDER.

ANDERSENS' LAST DAYS.

A PATHETIC STORY

Some interesting particulars of the last days of the Norwegian sailor, Anders Andersen, are published by the "Buller Miner." Andersen and Hallinen were convicted of tne manslaughter of Bourke, on the false evidence of Connolly, and they were sentenced to seven yeary' imprisonment. They were liberated after the conviction of Connolly for perjury, and his confession of having committed the murder. The relapse came too late for Andersen, whose death may, in a great measure, be regarded as a direct result of the false accusation of murder laid against him and the strain of his subsequent dreadful experiences. He developed epileptic fits while in the police gaol at Westport. Previously hs had been an entirely nealthy man, and medical opinion is that the fatal illness was induced by shock and suffering. Hallinen, his fellow-suffer-er, is cast in different mould. While Andersen always kept his composure, Nature came to Hallinen's assistace with tears. Court spectators convinced of the innocence of the two men marvelled at the self-control exhibited bv Andersen. He told the of the "Miner" theie were iwo especial stages of the protracted trials when the pressure un him was greatest: at Nelson, when the jury found their long-delayed verdict of manslaughter, and at Hokitika when he lay awake in his ceil listening to ascertain if the warders would bring Connolly back to the prison on the last night of the trial. Jf the Hokitika proceedings had failed, ha said, he would have gone mad. Andersen's illness returned to him with unexpected suddenness. He had aiot had an attack for two months. On the Sunday before his death he formed one of a picnic party which rowed up the Builer River. He took an oar, was in bright spirits, and enjoyment of the beautiful spring day j and picturesque surroundings con- j trasted with his recent dark experience, forced from him the exclamation "Liberty is sweet." Andersen's last day of health was a happy one, but the sun had gone down before he was fatally stricken. Walking from the picnic camp to the boat he was again cast down, and that seizure was the beginning of the endAndersen was born at Arendal, a port on the East Coast of Norway, a couple of hundred miles from Christiania, the capital city. His father (a retired sea captain) and mother are still living at Arendal. Eleven years ago he commenced to roam the world, as a sailor before the mast. "J have been a fool to myself," said Andersen. "I should have sat for a colonial certificate when I came to these waters. I would have had no trouble to get it, and then I would have been all right." Andersen, who was expecting to receive some monetary compensation from the New Zealand Government, intended to return to Norway after Christmas.