THE TRIAL OF BUTLER.

Evening Star, Issue 10342, 16 June 1897, Page 4

THE TRIAL OF BUTLER.

NEW EVIDENCE, When the- trial of Butler for the murder of Lee Weller was resumed at Darlinghnrst, Sidney, yesterday, the court* was again densely packed. The evidence for the Crown was not finished. Wolff, a dealer, identified Butler as a man from whom he purchased a sea chest containing' the books, revolver, and other, belongings of Lee Weller; and the wife of the superintendent of the Sailors' Home at Newcastle swore that Butler was the man, who, under the name of Weller and on the strength of Welter's master's certificate, shipped on the Swanhilda. Other witnesses identified Butler as the individual who made arrangements with Weller and others to go prospecting. Detective Roche detailed the events of the arrest and the voyage from San Francisco. He reaffirmed Butler's statements that if he had known he was suspected he would have wrecked the Swanhilda or have shot the police when they were attempting to arrest him, and then himself. He iutended to swim ashore at San Francisco, but the water was too rough. With reference to Butler's attempts at suioide, he told witness that while he was lying in the county gaol and the officers were playing cards he made a wound on his wrist with his thumb nail, but failed to strike the vein, and that afterwards he made two wounds on his temple by similar means. Subsequently he said he made the wounds with a nail taken from the wall. After they returned to Sydney Butler informed witness that a bag-contain-ing a quantity of Welter's letters and papers were at the Redfern luggage office, and the bag and its contents were recovered. Counsel for the defence searchingly crossexamined Roche with a view to showing that he freely supplied Butler with whisky, and gave the Sydney Pressmen special opportunities for interviewing him with the object of obtaining confessions. Roche denied these suggestions, and said he simply supplied necessary stimulants, and complied with Butler's wishes as to interviewing. The evening papers arc responsible for the statement that amongst the spectators in the court was a woman with a seventeen-year-old daughter claiming to be Butler's wife. At the time of his marriage Butler was an American citizen and had considerable property, which he squandered.