THE WAIKOMITI MURDER CASE CLOSING SCENE.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 192, 7 April 1893, Page 3

THE WAIKOMITI MURDER CASE CLOSING SCENE.

The address of His Honor to tho jury lasted in all seven hours, the summing up being concluded at half-past twelve o’clock on Thursday afternoon. His Honer’s closing remarks to the jury were listened to with breathless attention by the largo number of speotatora in the Court-room. The prisoner listened to the address with stoioal calmness. The juiy retired to their room at 12.35 p.m. to consider their verdict. At one o’clock His Honor sent for the jury, and as they took their seats there was a great rush of waiting spectators into the Coart-room, evidently expecting to hear the verdict at once. His Honor said he sent for the j ury in reference to the mid-day adjournment, as he understood they wished for plenty of time to cousider the verdict. The Foreman of the jury said: 1 We think we will require a little time. Your Honor’’ The Court was then adjourned till two o’clock. At two o’olock there was a very large attendance of the public in the Court-room and in the corridors leading to it. The women’s gallery was occupied by some two hundred women, being crowded in every part by females, young and old. A large proportion of the females assembled consisted of young girls. The Court was thronged all[day witlrspectators, who took akeen interest in the case.

At ten minutes past two o.’elock an.. Friday afternoon the jury returned, and filed into the Court-room, His Honor Mr Justice Conolly taking his seat at the same time. Amidst deathlike silence, the Registrar, Mr Brewer, asked the jury whether they had unanimously found their verdict. The reply was ‘We have.’ In answer to the formal question as to what that verdict was, came the single word ‘ guilty.’ The prisoner immediately arose to his feet, and, whatever might have been his feelings, appeared outwardly calm. He stood perfectly silent, making no reply to the question as to whether he had anything to say why the sentence of the Court should not he passed upen him. After waiting a few moments, amidst silence that was painful in its intensity, His Honor assumed the black cap and proceeded to pass sentence. Mr Justice Conolly said: ‘Alexander James Scott, the jury have found you guilty of the crime of wilful murder. The murder in your case was aggravated by many circumstances. It was aggravated by the fact that the probable inducement, if such it can be called for this murder was your immoral relationship with the wifo of the murdered man, It was also aggravated by the fact that you pretended to be his friend, and appeared to be nursing him, at the time you were insidiously taking away his life, There is but one punishment for such an offence, and I must tell you that yon can hope for-no mercy in this world. During the time allowed you in this world you must make your peace, both for this and for the world to come. The sertence of the Court is that you be taken from this place to whence you came, and from there to the place of execution, and that von he hanged by ,’the neck until yo i are dead, and may God have morey on your soul.’ After :ho prisoner was removed from the dock His Honor before discharging the jury, said, ‘ I cannot discharge you gentleman from further attendance without thanking you for the very great care you havo paid to this case, and for the firmness with which you have discharged a most painful duty. I may say that with your verdict I entirelv concur. THE ' CLOSING SCENE! The death sentence of the Judge was listened to in the utmost silence, and the solemn word* appeared to impress all in the Court most deeply! The prompt decision of the jury was a great surprise to nearly every one, for it was considered certain that they would at least he some hours before earning to their verdict. The sentence of death was pronounced by His Honor with most solemn effect, and at the close his voice was so husky that his concluding syllables could scarcely be heard. The prisoner, Alexander Scott, received the sentence in silence and calmly, standing with his head slightly bent, and liis hands resting on tho rail in the front of the dock. His countenance was calm, and except for a nervous twitching of his lipa and hands, he appeared perfectly unmoved. He took his sentence in the coolest manner possible, slightly inclining his head as the judge finished. The final scene -showed him to he a man possessed of enormous power of control over his nerves. Immediately His Honor had finished speaking, one of the warders in attendance touohed Scott on the shoulder, and he turned to leave by the trap-uoor. As he passed down into the lower regions of the court with a warder on eaeii side of him. there wss a rush of spectators to see the last of him. Thus ended one ot the most celebrated trials iu the annals of the criminal history of Auckland aafl of this colony.