DEATH SENTENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 February 1926, Page 5

DEATH SENTENCE

POLICEMAN CONDEMNED.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

LONDON, January 28.

Probationer Constable Burrows was sentenced to death. The defence raised the plea insanity, but the prison doctor gave evidence that Burrowt was normal, and remarkably detached and cqllbus. Two other medical witnesses regarded him as abnormal.

Probationer Constable Herbert Burrows v/as charged with the murder of George Laight, a publican, his wife, and baby, at Worcester on pecembei6. Burrows admitted the crime, and said that the cause would never be known.

A JURY REBUKED.

LONDON, January 30.

The (inquest was resumed at Trowbridge on Richards, for whose murder Lincoln has been sentenced to death. Richards was found shot in his garden. Lincoln admitted firing shots, but denied an intention to kill.

The jury returned a verdict of murder by persons unidentified. The foreman said that they wished to add a I’ider as follows :—“We are of opinion that there has been a grave miscarriage of justice.” The Coroner refused to accept this rider, saying: “You have no business to express such an opinion • after the case has been tried, by a higher Court.” HUSBAND ACCUSED. LONDON, January 29. At the Police Court, at the trial of Dean on the charge of murdering his wife, bis six-year-old daughter Doris, giving evidence as to what she saw on the day of the tragedy, cried so bitterly that the examination had to be abandoned. The accused, in a statement, disclosed that his wife had complained over his unemployment. Later, they quarrelled over buying the children Christinas toys. He did not remember what happened afterwards. He was committed for trial. A FAMILY KILLED. LONDON, January 28.

In a house at' Parkstone, a man named Wright, aged 60, also his wife, and two children, were found dead. The wife’s and children’s heads were almost severed, and a blood-stained axe was lying nearby. The husband had a wound in the throat.