SATED FROM HANGING

Evening Star, Issue 16950, 24 January 1919, Page 2

SATED FROM HANGING

AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR.

MURDERED MAN'S WIDOW INTERFERES,

An Adelaide message says that John Grindsll, aged 65 years, was condemned to death on a cmirge of murder, and his death warrant signed by t.ne Cabinet and his .execution ordered, but on tho day before lie was to be hanged the sentence was commuted to one of imprisonment for life. Tins strange state of «(fairs was brought about by the pathetic appeal* of the wife and children of the condemned man, and also by a petition by his daughter, who was the wife of the murdered man, George Snell, 'ini; Jailer, who was a pasioraiist on a rather limited scale in the Far Northern Territory disappeared suddenly. He was last seta in company with his father-in-law (GriuJeli), wiio had been heard several times to use threatening language, towards Sim;. A s--arch of tho district was made without success, and then black truckers led tno sc-itrca puny to Hun-mams of a fire, where it was generally agreed that Snell had been burnt. Grr,Ji;ll was arrested, the jury found him guilty, and sentence of death was passed. .? piT-.rhm for lue commutation of capital punii-hmenl, signed by upwards of 2,000 pencils, was presented io the Executive, but at n special meeting of Cabinet It was resolved that the law should take its course. Grindell was io pay tho supreme penalty on January 2. On the previous Sunday tho widow of tho murdered man saw her father in gaol, and asked him if he committed the crime. Ho replied with an unflinching ” No, I am innocent." . Mrs Snell then, with her brother and sisters, waited on the Governor (Sir Henry Galway) and presented petitions praying that Grinds!! should not bo hanged, Mrs Snell claiming that sha had a presentiment that her husband had gone away, and would turn up all right. The Governor brought tho petition under the notice of a special meeting of the Executive Council. At this meeting it was resolved that Grindcll’s life should be spared, although for some reason or other the Government have refrained from indicating what caused such a remarkable change of front. A considerable amount of indignation has been expressed, especially by squatters in the Far North, who knew both Grendel! and Snell, while a brother of Snell has taken up the cudgels on behalf of the murdered man. In a statement to tho newspapers he takes Mrs Snell severely to task.