PRICE PAYS PENALTY

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 27 June 1935, Page 7

PRICE PAYS PENALTY

Execution for Murder of Evelyn Mary Madden BETRAYS LITTLE EMOTION FEW REQUESTS IN PRISON (B> Tejegrapn—Frees Association.l WELLINGTON, To-day. Sentenced to death for the murder ot Evelyn Mary Madden at Argyll East. Hawke’s Bay, on February 6, Chanes William •Brice,' a teamster, aged 44, paid the extreme penalty of tha Jaw at the Wellington prison todav.' Brice was harmed at 8 a.m., death being instantaneous. He walked firmly from Ins cell to the scaffoid, and on being asked by the sheriff (Air W. AY. Samson) if he had anything to say before the sentence was carried into effect, he almost ..shouted, “No.”

Shortly after 7.50 a.m., the sheriff, in accordance with the Jaw, claimed the body of Price, who was then pin•oned by prison warders, and at tour minutes to eight o’clock Jie was taken from his cell and led to the scatfold. The procession to tiie scaffold, which was erected in. the prison yard a few feet from the condemned cell, comprised the Rev. Father M. Uhlenberg, the sheriff, the deputy-sheriff (Air E G. Rhodes), the superintendent of the prison (Air J. Down), the prison medical officer, the prisoner and wardens, Press representatives and a few others. Price needed no assistance, his emotion being betrayed only by a slight trembling just before the end. Jrlis last words, .Addressed to the priest, were: “Good-bye, Father.” The body was subsequently examined by the prison medical officer and the coroner (Air Gilbertson). An inquest was held at the prison, and the corpner returned a vordict that the prisoner had been executed in accordance with tbo, law, death being caused by a Complete fracture of the verterbral column. The body was not claimed by relatives, and it will be buried this afternoon by the State.

.Ln accordance with custom, the Union Jack was flown on one of the prison flag poles this morning, and immediately the execution took place a black flag was displayed from an adjoining flag pole. An hour after the execution the black flag way taken down, but the Union Jack continued to fly, signifying the supremacy of the King. Price gave no trouble during his period of confinement at the Wellington prison, and he made few requests. Ho did practically no reading and spent his time walking and smoking. He was a light sleeper, and towards the end showed signs of the strain. He did not sleep well last night. He was called at 6.15 this morning .and Father Uhlenberg administered the last sacrament. He ate a good breakfast and expressed appreciation of the consideration shown to him by the prison ffiniaJs.