WIDOW FREED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 40, 17 February 1937, Page 13

WIDOW FREED.

JURY'S DISAGREEMENT

RESULT OF FOURTH TRIAL. CHIEF JUSTICE'S COMMENTS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. For the fourth time a jury failed to reach an agreement in the case of Isabel Annie Aves, also known as Craike, a married woman, of Hastings, who has stood trial at Napier and three times at AV-ellington on seven charge* of illegally using an instrument. The fourth trial was concluded in the Supreme Court at Wellington" to-day, and it was announced that the Crown did not intend to proceed further and accused was discharged.

No evidence was called for the defence. The final addresses to the Jury occupied more than two hours. The jury retired at 12.50 p.m., and returned at 4.55 p.m. with an announcement that it could not agree.

Tlie Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, addressing accused, referred to evidence which had been given, and continued: "Well, upon that evidence the Crown submitted that nefarious and criminal •business must have been going on in your house for a period of 18 months or

"The jury apparently found some difficulty and have not been able to agree upon the question, presumably, as to whether you were the actual person who committed these offences. I don't know whether or not that is the precise question on which the jury differed, but all I can say is that I should recommend you to see that your household in future is not carried on in such a way by anyone so that you may be brought before the Court again on a charge of this kind, because if you are you may not be so fortunate as you are on this occasion."

After accused had left the dock, his Honor said: "I venture to make those observations because there are various aspects of this case which, in my view, are worthy of the serious attention of those who guide the destiny of this young country."