SILVER GRID MURDER

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 677, 30 November 1909, Page 7

SILVER GRID MURDER

WHY REHfIEYB WAS-CRANTED.

, LEGAt^AND-MOflMt 'INSAWITY. ■] >v STATEMENT BY THE HUME MINISTEn.' ■; During the sitting of tho Hposo of Eeproseh- '••. ' tatives ; yesterday altornopn'' Mr.yO Laurenson { '; (Lyttelton) said timi he had been requested tol; /■/ ask the Primo' Minister if he.could givo/any.-.: explanation, as to the reasons of tho Govern-/, ment for reprieving a man in Lyttelton Gaol , named Eoberb, who, up' till Saturday, hadboon 1 under sontenco;of death. Therp was:'o^'. , ; strong feeling among a large number of'people,.! V especially-in Canterbury, that; thfl-murder: - yat-:>' a cold-blooded one. Although.petitions in/fay-':•'' our of reprieve had boon circulated.there'.were. .;■ large numbers who -"beliovod ,; that.': Robert* ;7 should not bo reprieved.:. Would tho'Govern-- : ment state tho reasons'' why : he' had been/n>' prioved?,'■: ' .■■' .'..V-.;/,- '■...''',:- > ■ v.■l-'j'.,.:;;^;-';',: , '; Tho Views of, the- Executive ;Councili';:,'!■-^ The Primo/Minister said ho would ; bo Terji' glad to placo before •'., members ■ the:',--' circnin« ■ h stances which guided tho .Administration'-if :> recommbhding his Excellency the. Governor -to - ; y reprieve the sentence.'.-■ After into".':'.'' tho mntter , tho Government were quite ■unam- :■;.. mous in'tho decision .which was come to.-Hi;' ' might further state that his: Excellency/the'/ : jovornor, who presided at tho mooting,of the. '■ jixecutird: Council at ; which .tho .matter/was/?'' finally, dealt; ; with, entertained 'oxactly-l'- the'•; same opinion tfn the. matter,. That might be : ; some satisfaction : to/ those /.who thought A tha', '" inal sertehco of death should bo carried- out-.;■• in every case. The Executive Council hadiUV-.';'.' cided upon, a , repriovb in tho .first: .instance*-;/ partly from the report of. the/radges, partly, '- on tho report of the- doctor,' ana- partly from;'' ho recommendation,of tho jury; and, secondly,v In consemjenco of matter contained'in tho evidence, winch ho would liko to etate,. as it' wat "i ■ an important .matter. ..Tho. Government '■■ Chad X. waited for -no/petitions',: : but,had. dealt '.witH/j. tho whole matter 'without'- delay,..with the ter</,, riblo responsibility' , which. Vtestcd / on/, their.;;; shoulders'in regard to. such 'amattpr.:,' ■';.:' v. ; >-.;■ /■'.-..,' - Judge's. Report to Extcutlyc..,; !;Vj ;i y; The Prime Jliuister ! then'.'read'a., report, on'-, 1 the case submitted ; byVilr.Justice.'Dennistbn.:-.; Tho report stated , , that,- the jury's vordict ,wos',-: entirely justified by- the evidence./ "Th'e/inain/-: defence,"-wrote ■ his iHonqiir, "was that of; in-,/;/ sanity. .On',tbat ppint, tlie jiiry' found! on.an-.V issue put. to. them specifically in-tho , .words bf.'V. the Crimes: that, the .accused, at .'the time',.'; ho. committed'the act, was not labouring under , , •' disease'of ■the" mind-, to 'such, an "extent:' ns\ to V: . ronder. hiiii : 'incniiablo' "of v understanding: .its , nature aud qualitjv-and of'.knowing'-'that :it.'.V was'wrong. In so'finding thoy acted upon■ my ; .>.: direction; ,in : terms-of. the. Act,..that, the legal:-:i presumption:is in-favour of sa'nitj - , and that'.it';; lay upon, the, accused to: bring .himsolf! within v the tho'Act.N'V. They'added,'however'; , the following rider jury' dosires; to'■' add' -j a '■■ very strong 'recommendation to ■ incrcy,'.:dn-v.-- ' tho: grounds '■, that : ;the - : evidence '/clearly •■: shove >.'- : that .accused, \s not .• possessed , of ■■nprmAl 'I* mental and . physical • faculties,. ami tlierfe: is ; . grpvo;doubt as to whether;:at tjie. tiniq"'of com- ; ; : ' mitting the act,.,he.was fully .capable of standing, tho /nature .and/quality, of .the', act,.-v.i and-, of 'knowingitliatVsucliL'flct : was 'ivirong.'/ 1 Thoy have.in'cftebt' said-.that/had:jtjw'. biiusi' ofV. proof of; sanity been )pn'■, the' prosecution; they , '-: would have;found, this-issue in favpuL - of the , ?.' .nCOUScd,;- ;.■..-.,:-..■;;•!.'.■':,.-:;:;, •■■]!'■ 'J ■'"'■X'': ; -".', ; •■;-.■>'" ; ' .' "On : this, point-1- am -not-able tb-.ontircly >! 'concur-'with the,.finding.',..';■;The:.accused .:hadf"' beon'-, one' of several '..lovers; of,tho:murdered)■; woman, , who-had thrown him over for: one.of .> •tho 'others;- ■■>.He. : had- , .remonsirated-; with• her'- : , ; without effect.-',/On.-'iliS.'afternoon -pf. 3)e'ccni-',;-ber ; 17 ho: had , obtained , possession oj. ;a to- '■■ :'vplver. (which ho hadi left .with anethbr person);-'! , ' and' : noxt. /evening, Rafter .a-'.'spniowhatr'angrj'r'-interview, ho fellowed tho' woman intp her, bedroom., and shot/her.-iHe 1 got.out l of .the.hpuE* /; at {pace (probably/ by' a/ ladder used as: a , firt .; - escape), and "took , deliberato ■ steps to. .concealf j his ■-, Bubsequorit;'/ mqvembnti , -'and '■■'•'. evade '■■ suspicion. 'viHo'y was" ; arrested,:' next'.'monv-,i. ing-/, : ' while .. ,in ; . .;■'. tho.!- : , act '■■ of- : . writing; a letter which .was "practically /an 'admission of ..his- having;-shot the wonianjvandiin whieV-'. : ho/ 6tated ( his ' intention..of -^omniiting-.'Bucidti.; .and jntelliftent'Actions.' , '' ; .'.: "All this purposive:, and: intelligentjconra. of action, is, in;-:my.-ppiiiion, iiicpneisteht with ■ the. existericn 'of-' any-- , reaijbnablb'i dpiibt his. , being: sano;without , the legal) definition' bli isanitx which: ■r,.havq'',ulrcaUyr stated../-;TheV :witnesses-.-'for' , tho prosecution.,wore not; cross-' ■ examined/ as to aiiy} indication, pf /mental:'dis-V----;turbance'of the,accused;: and, except as .toisb'm'eVovideiico by -a : - witness." named' Hart as V to/ ', a:. iteevipus; exhibition: \yith a .rovolveri '■'thp. : ovi*'. nenco' as : to his , njental was. the tes- : . timoriy :pf ,: tiro medical: men; as , ' to; tho/result '■'.- of: an examinatibß of ,\the accused I after : his., ar-. rest and 'committal."'This bvidonco, 'soifar/ae:'' it-.affects :to';.qusstion lot,' legal\ sanity,'::came,/ ,iri my. opinion,;, only.:to.:.this—that..thero' whs■• a'remote possibility that ho .'might have com-' , mittedtho act in a'fit of homicidarmaniai the ■ .result, of'.'.m'askid .might havq;.beon -, unable :to/'.understand!! tjioo l 'nature pf:his'. ; act;:y- ;^.-^ft ji',-.';;--.-' , -:-!'.- , -.-:'.-;-;"!!:.,'-'' ■■..-.'!. The •.jury,', libwoyer; revidontly;.intended bj/,. ; this rider.;to,-;express/their,opinion, .that,'-.'of-. ; though there was pot fSufEcient to;,prove "what '; I may.termUogal insanity./the , .accused^vas'in>' a:wider' and.moro popular/soriso morally/:irrc-/ ■sponsible; and; that: consequently- it; was "their ) opinion .and .desire-/that .'■ tlun ■ accused \ should.y :iiot: suffor'.', the' extreme ■ penalry law.'.': But for'- a belief -that :this; expression, of v.be-J ■lief would bo effective,'it is .probable'they tfould:/ have 'disagreed or'ihave '■ 'found,' my direction,' that/the accused was;legally in-:; sane;:- ■/' :: ''..:..':'i.''./! : '/.--"--'f /; , \/ 1 ':■';.'■-'/ ',:■ -~-'.'':-,'-',.;'..,; 'ffledical /Eyiiicncoy ■ / '\^ -. -..' " Tho medical evidence; was. to the effect that?, 'the accused,'(who. is only,■ 21v:years/.of.;.ago);'.*ay.> •physically,- morally, and -montally: what;is' now'/ generally as ;'a,-. , 'dogcherato.'/ : Thie.v conclusion' was founded.on,' his. physical' /ai)-;.-pearaiice'.and-peculiarities and : vjpbu':his;own\ .account of his family history,-which, tlio mbdi."; .: .calmon stated\they .had no ,reason ; 'to think , ' invented.,by.- tho,' .accused: to /suit I .' , tho 'fails,; : // "These:gentlemen,".statedv.the Judgoi■ ."were i ■ ,not. selected/' by-:the : accused , or,' ; his -,advisers,:i but; are tho: holders of _. official/'p'o'sitions,' , and./ t wero; in ,tUeir, oxdinindtion,: acting ".under Goy-." ernment:instructions.;.'.To these;.proofs;of, in-;' i herited' deficiene'es'they., addod tnat-rprobably.': i af ttconsoquelico: of, ■ such' deficiencies—the'lie-- : cused'had 'still further ■, debased■• himself./by,; i excessive alcoholism and other:means.:.;'::■;' '.':•:■•• .'.'Their conolusiohs ) ' , jtlio ; report went ion.'.'cer-/ '■.- tainly justifies/that- part.-of/tlio/jury.'s, rider'; 1' which- hnds ■that- , the accused -possessed: i of normal,;mbntal, .'and:physical;.faoullies.'V-.";, J i ; -"Thecaso is not, one in .wliich/apy assistance'! i could be obtained-'* by. further -inyestigatibn.'.' 1 The jury and the. medical ■ivitiiefsts'lwvo come; \ to the,'conclusion -that- tho .accused,':though at/ ) tho ;tiino of the 'commission 'of^.'tho/ act/nPI ( . proved to. bo losally irresponsible, whs at least ;■ i on the border, lino of, such irresponsibility. 11: . can, only submit these observations and; the'ovk ; v denoo on which ..they are founded;.: ::.;>'. : /:;/'. J..' s ',' "I have felt myself bound to stdte.nijr opiriioi/ ; [ on tho question of the: legal : sanity ; ofil-tht ■ }] accuEcd.' It:;will/.bo-.for./his/Excellency/tlw; ".. Governor and his: advisers to< .consider, how. fair the yontli'jot: the acousedi. liis inherited.-'.liimta-! tions and' disabilities, his admittedly-, 10w.,' men-.. .' tal nnd' morale standard,. ;:taken.:/with ythi', . strongly-expressed -opinion of /.t'ab/iury,' who ,'•' 'convioted him,'.supported'; by /tlio./opinions' of' t tho:official medical:experts who examined'Kinj.; .' as to his moral ; .reeii6nsibilityi'as-.distinguished.: 3- : from legal insanity, should: warrant: tho/clem> ency-. of..tho.CrowiLbeing extended to : him'.is: tho iemiesionof the/capitaVpeiialtyi" '../J. :; :■ , ■•'./■. ' : ;,.^"A ; Dangerous, Degenerate; , !;;//i;V.//;:Z • /Sir Joseph quoted an/extract from tlie dbctprV . roport. 'The doctor- considered.Eobcrts to'/bu' s a dangerous degeuerato Tlitre were eyniptoma" 0 which were consistent with' epileptic ausanity, 1 r crime he (the;doctor) would, hesitation j, .in declaring him ih'sanp; '. Hoborts might- licjfe'j acted, under, an jnsano' impulsoi.i'//- , ■ /:.\,/M/', . No man, (contiiiUed tho Primo/llinistcr).;who, - lmd'to calmly nnd judicinUy , 'e.\smino : into the, ' facts'could liavo comf to" tiny /other conclusioni than that if tho Executive. hiidZ/ordcrcd.: ,tho. 1 extremb penalty /to he tarried-out it Srould' o have/been a .flrong'. thing to hnvo. dbno.-v-: '/.v :, r; ■■.■'V-;'\;---W.--j'v'pefini'llon'-.,qf!:..insanlty;'-.> IV-.-.-- ; '■.'jj'-'.-i:'; C ; Mri .'Wllfprd'thought that/tlie/ZGoypriimdnt e should -consider, the nocossity of/altering 'the: c . legal insanity. ;Tf6 would.sugifnst. - that tho' inatter \ slipuld' bo referred .to.;th'o f Minister for Justico nud v lnw.,officers;., lt.Wns s. 1 hisiopinion that il/ definition: should bo froriiei t on the .suggistion of tho repbrt : of the judges/ o \vho sat , at Homo in .regard to tho subject/ q somo time ago. •'"■ : " ' ""'" : '■■-•); The Primo Minister slated that Mr.* Justi«: : Ronniston hnd called on Dr. Findlay thai . morning, and entirely , approved of tho commu- , tation of tho Bontoncc. . 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