MURDER TRIAL SENSATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 153, 27 June 1908, Page 15

MURDER TRIAL SENSATION.

■ PBISONER'S STRAJM3E PLEA. The opening of the trial at Edinburgh last month of Thomas Bone, jun., -- who Wu charged with ' having ~ murdered tale :■ wife,: was matted by a somewhat sensational scene, the -Indictment : waa'-reed'to' the effect that on 2nd April, on the old road,: or footpath, leading from Glenbuck village to the MulrMrk tad Lanirk-rwtd, Thomas Bone jtm., assaulted hts wife, Agnee Campbell or Bone, by striking her with a blunt Instrument, and murdered her. Lord A nlwall formally asked prisoner If he pleaded guilty or not ■ goilty. ' Accused replied" m firm .tones—-"I plead gnilty, my Lord." .;..- •: . ~l'~j His lordship, looked astonished, and, addressing prisoner, said—-"I think yon had better be guided by your counsel and plead not guilty." ■ . ■'.';■s Prisoner, however. In the same firm voice, said—"No, I cannot plead not gnllty. I hare a higher-power to face than yon, my Y*>rd, and for that reason I am prepared to pleaS guilty.. It was- I who committed the crime." This declaration created some consternation In court. After commltatlott between prisoner and hie connsel, and at .the same time between his Lordslilp and the Adro-cate-Depute, his liOrdsblp said—"l nerer heard of a plea of guilty in a murder trial. We win hear the''evidence, and will not record'your plea." Kvidence wjs~p?oeee€sed with accordingly. Mr A. Orr Deas and Mr Archibald Crawford -conducting the defence, and Mr William Thomson, Advorate-Deputc the prosecution. The police, in giving evidence, stated that accused, who was a miner In the district, had been on several occasions taken Into custody for committing assaults upon his ■wife. On one occasion he Bald to the con* stable that next time-he was apprehended it woald be for t&mng his wife. It was stated that accused's wife was a well-behaved woman. She had told a police officer that she refused to live with her husband because he was jealous of her and used threat* to her. He slept with a raisor under his pillow. ' Addressing the Jury, counsel tor -the prisoner, asked for a plea of cnlpaMe homicide. The jury returned a Twdiet of guilty of murder, and his Lordship, Jn a crowded Court, pronounced' sentence of death by hanging, the sentence to be carried into effect at Ayr Prison on the 29th Mfly. Prisoner, who throughOßt the trial had die-1 played the utmost unconcern, at times looking smilingly round the Court, raid, "Thank you, my Lord," and proceeded, apparently with a light heart, downstairs to the cells.