THE WINTON MURDER CASE.

Evening Star, Issue 9738, 21 June 1895, Page 2

THE WINTON MURDER CASE.

MINNIE DEAN -FOUND GUILT Y, ‘'.SENTENCED TO DEATH.

mi - - INVERCARGILL,, June 20. : .This afternoon the Crown ' Prosecutor addreased the jury, and Mr Hanlon followed fpr the defence, .calling no .witnesses. His line of defence was that the death of Dorothy Edith Garter was the result of misadventure, the accused having given her an overdose of, laudanum. . Tfiere might have been, culpable , negligence, and if the jury were of that opinion they might return a verdict of manslaughter, but the evidence, he. contended, did nob justify the eraver finding of,,wilful ; murder. The jury, he said, had nothing' to ; do.-with the cause of the death of Eva Hornsby. That was for another jury, to deal, with. The death of that child, he submitted,' was caused by suffocation through vomiting milk given by Mrs Hornsby.■ His Honor deferred aumnvng up till ncx . morning.

•m t • n. . ’ June 21. Mr Justice Williams’s summing up in the Dean cose occupied two hours and a-half this morning. The jury retired at half-past twelve, and in half an hour returned with a verdict of “Guilty.” When asked if she had anything to say why sentence should not be passed, Minnie Dcau rose and in a firm, clear voice answered: “ No; I have only to thauk Detective M l Grath for his kindness to me, 55 His Honor then assumed the black cap and passed sentence of death, which the prisoner received with perfect composure, and she stepped out of the dock apparently the least concerned woman in the crowded court.