CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

Evening Star, Issue 22326, 30 April 1936, Page 9

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

FATE OF AUSTRALIAN YOUTHS PLEA ON BEHALF OF JONES Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, April 29. The proposed execution of the youthful condemned prisoners, Hickey and Jones, ia still a lively topic among a section of the public and persons who disapprove of capital punishment. The latest development relates to Jones, on whose behalf a statutory declaration will be presented to the Minister of Justice. In it his foster-mother states that Jones, when 10 years old, was injured by a motor car. He developed St. Vitus dance, became a somnambulist. and showed symptoms of melancholia. “ I don’t want Jones to he hanged for shooting me,” said Allan Clarke, the railwayman. “ I will be quite satisfied to have it out with fists. That is the way we can settle it.” CASES TO BE TREATED OH THEIR MERITS SYDNEY, April 29. During a debate on a motion by a Labour member, Mrs Davidson, in the Assembly to-day urging the Government to reconsider the hangings oi Jones and Hickey, a Labour member, Mr Heffronj contended that the logic of the decision to hang these two boys was that the remaining 13 condemned men and boys must hang. Mr L. 0. Martin, Minister of Justice, replied that there was no ground for such assumption. Each case would be treated on its merits and the fullest inquiry made with regard to the circumstances. Mr Martin declared that the Government would not remove capital punishment from the Statutes; indeed, it was most desirable that it should bo kept there. The motion was defeated by 35 votes to 29.