MURDER IN A SHOP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 12, 14 January 1905, Page 13

MURDER IN A SHOP.

DEATH SENTENCES, AT THEOLO BAILEY. In the presence of a. crowded court at tbe Old Bailey on Monday, November 22, Conrad Donovan and Charles Wado were sentenced to death by Mr Justice Grantbani for the brutal murder of an aged woman I named Emily Fanner in an Etst End newsI agent's shop on October 12. Mr Charles Mathews prosecuted. Neither of the prisoners gave much evidence of the strain. "Wafie. whose face Is by far the most mobile of the two, looked round with a certain defiant curiosity, but as the day grew on and the balance between life and death grew more even, dry lips told a tale that well-kept muscles hid. Here is a chronological table of what hapi pened on the moraine of the murder:— 5 a.m.—Wade called by his landlord. 6 a.m.—Both Wade and Donovan seen by Barnes near the shop where murder was committed. 6 t» 6.30 a.m.—Murder committed. 6.20 a.m.—Shop seen by a constable te be shut. 6.30 a.m.—Prisoners seen to leave the shop. Very calmly and dispassionately Mr Mathews went over the story of the murder as related by the witnesses. He has a quiet earnestness of delivery that is par- ] ticularly convincing. Fifteea months ago, Ihe said. Wade had made particular Inquir- ! ies whether Miss Farmer lived alone. "Dβ ■ yon think that is very safe?" he had asked her nephew, and had elicited the response i that Miss Farmer Lad refused to allow any- ! body t» lire with her. THE TWO SIDES. "The prosecution depends upon theories to send these men to their death," said Mr I Hughes for the defence. "We have nothing ,to do but submit theory for theory." In a ; speech that lasted for three hours and as half, a speech almost as convincing as and ! much more ingenious than that of the pro- ! sedition, the prisoner's advocate dealt skil* i fully with the scinty material tkat lay at ' his hand. j These were the points and the counterpoints in thie remarkable case:— FOR THE PROSE- FOR THE DBCUTION. FENCE. Miss Farmer was If Wade was murdered by Dono- known personally t* van and Wade, the her, what was the , latter of whom was use of gagging her? I known personally to Why not commit an ! her. act of gross violence I that would still her tongue for ever? It «. was evident thattha murderers did not intend killing her. The murder was If premeditated, ] lprenieditated. why did not th« prisoners seize a better opportunity that was offered the night before? They, lived in the neighbourhood. It was committed It was committed j between 6 and 6.30, between 7 and 7.30, ! according to the according to Con- , iamended evidenceof stable Hooper. Miss ■ Dr. Grant, who saw Baker . (who swore j the body. they felt the heart ■ boat), and Dr. I Grant's evidence nt j the coroner's inquest ■ and at the police , ■ court. They were seen in The witnesses were the neighbourhood mist.ikeu. One of on the morning Iα tbe witnesses looked question. lik« a man with They were recog- weak eyesight, and i nised coming from certainly it would be ! (the shop. difficult to recognise a man in the halflight of morning. The prisoners were not in a fit condition to be put in the box. "A short time ago," said Mr Hughes, pointing a finger at the vacant witness box, "Adolph Beck stood there and proclaimed his innocence—he wa» convicted." PRISONERS SHARE A JOKE. A little after four o'clock Mr Justice Grantham commenced his summing-up. One by one he demolished the arguments of the defence. - "'The prisoners have done nothing to prove their innocence beyond engaging very able counsel," was his lordship's comment on the failure of the acensed to establish, or attempt to establish, an alibi. "Though we cannot all swear to what we were doing during a given twenty minutes of tiie day, we most of na kuow where we were at six o'clock in the morning." During tbe Jndge's summing np WtnJe and Donovan shared a joke which evidently caused the former considerable amusement, so much so that it became necessary, to hide his bead behind tbe dock front. Tbe jury retired and were absent fop * very brief period. Aβ tbe prisoners were put back in the dock, standing with a circle of warders behind, the awful gravity of their position was reflected In their facesWade was white, and on the strong face of Donovan stood little beads of pecsntrx' tion. "Guilty.' , was the verdict, and the affiat did not flinch. Speaking trader stress of great emotto* the judge dealt with tbe past' criminal careers of the men before him. Both bad been eonricteA prevweely; Donovan had. ! undergone sentenr* of penal serritnde. Senj tence of death was fussed in the solemn plmseotogy of tbe court. ! As the men tamed to le'sve tbe dock, $ I voice from tbe gallery, evidently address- ! ing Wade, cried, "Cheer np, Charlie!" At ; this Wade turned and made a quiet move- | meat towards the edge of the dock, and, : Addressing ettner bis lordship or Mr ! Charles MathewK, said something of a, I threatening nature. IBerders, however, ! seized bin, and he was hustted- from the j dock. ■ *... _J