TWO DEATH SENTENCES.

Evening Star, Issue 10343, 17 June 1897, Page 1

TWO DEATH SENTENCES.

» THE GLEXBROOK MURDERS. The medical testimony at tbe trial of Butler at Sydney yesterday showed it to be possible but highly improbable that Welter's wounds were self-inflicted. The evidence of Detectives M'Hattie and Conroy was corroborative of that of Roche. This closed the case for the Crown. An immense and excited crowd awaited the resumption of the trial in thfi afternoon. Batler was sullen and weak, bat quiet. His hands were encased in heavy mittens and he was closely guarded. Mr Edmunds stated that Butler was still unable to speak audibly, but asked to be allowed to make a statement through him. In a low voice, repeated by counstl, Butler made a statement to the effect that just prior to their going prospecting together Wellcr was drinking heavily owing to the death of his wife, and Butler bought his jewellery. After they reached Glenbrook Weller was very moody and depressed, suffering a reactionfrom adrinkingbout,aodßutler suggested a return to Sydney. Weller replied that he had no money, and that he would never return to Sydney. He drew a revolver from his pocket and placed it at his head. Batler grasped his hand and tried to wrench the weapon away, but in the struggle it was forced behind Welter's head and exploded, and Weller fell dead. Butler was afraid to report the matter to the police, and buried the body where it fell. Previously Weller asked him, if anything strange occurred, to forward hit will to his solicitor, and said Butler might have his clothes and portmanteau. He (Butler) found a mate's certificate in the portmanteau. He had no seamen's disoharges himself, and oould not gat a ship unless he used Weller**. If be made any BtatemanU to the police on tbe voyage from San Francisco, it was under the influence of whisky which was supplied to him all the way. The only witness called for the defence was a doctor to support the theory that it was possible that Weller was shot as described by Butler. Mr Edmunds addressed the Court for the accused, and claimed that the offence was not a tryable one, the extradition not having been granted on proved facts. Counsel's speech was mainly an elaboration in support of Butler's statements, and he laid especial stress on the statement that if guilty Butler would not have kept Welter's belongings. The Attorney-General (Mr Want) replied, and strongly repudiated the charges against the detectives of overstepping their duty and of trying to extort confessions from the prisoner. He paid them a very high compliment, and swept the defence aside as being weak and inconsistent. After a careful summing up by tbe Chief Justice, the jury retired, and returned in an hour and a-half with a verdict of guilty. The Chief Justice then passed sentence of death, adding that he could not hold out tbe least hope of mercy. He also warmly defended and strongly commended the detectives, and suggested that they should be rewarded. The points raised by the defence with reference to the legality of tbe extradition Will be argued before the Full Court on Monday. THE AMBERLEV MURDER. At the trial of William Sheehan, charged at Christchurch with the murder of Agnes Lawcock, ! Dr Syme, called as a medical witness by the defence, said he considered the accused to be a goitrous, degenerate man, suffering from satyriasis, with abnormally exaggerated sexual desires, which were not necessarily uncontrollable. The accused had at one time received an injury to his head, and it might result in epilepsy, which might induce impulsive insanity of a homicidal or suicidal kind. Taking into consideration the circumstances of the crime, witness thought that the accused knew right from wrong, and knew that he was doing wrenj:;. The jury found the accused guilty, Mr Justice Denniston sentenced him to death.