THE PETONE MURDERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVII, Issue 11225, 24 March 1897, Page 6

THE PETONE MURDERS.

THE TRIAL OF BOSIIER.

VERDICT OF GUILTY,

SENTENCE OP DEATH. [Per Press Association.] " WELLINGTON, March 23,

I,lr ‘Wilford, counsel for Bosher, began his address to tho jury this morning by ■ooiutiiK-* out tlicit several tacts adduced by the Crown which appeared to connect the accused were capable of explanation which should weigh with the jury. He declared that the action of the accused on the night of the murder was consistent with innocence, ns lie had purchased butter wanted by his wife, taken a book promised to a lady, and attended to other minor matters, which counsel considered would not have been done by a man about to commit a diabolical murder. .courtlier proof in accused's favour was that the last credit entry in the hooks of the murdered man was the purchase made by Bosher, and ho challenged the jury to think that any man who intended to perpetrate a crime would .allow such an entry to bo made. Mr Wilford argued that cash would have been paid, so as to remove any knowledge of a visit to the store. Regarding the scratch on tiie hand and the tom pocket in the coat, ho thought that the jury would agree that Boshcv’s statements that the former was done while getting through a wire fence to feed a horse, and the latter while getting into a cart, were correct. As to the accused’s statement that he went to Jones’s on the morning after the murder to get a Testament, which the Crown alleged was already in the accused s possession,'Mr Wilford said the evidence showed that Bosher was to tako three Testaments to Taifca,. while ho only had two in his possession. It was, therefore, quite feasible for Bosher to call at Jones for the other book. As regards the footprint on the back doorstep, he said a pointy in the prisoner’s favour was that on its discovery he said “It must bo mine, x was in there this morning.” Counsel added that Mrs Atkinson was said to be the first to discover the bodies when Bosher entered the house with her; but other evidence pointed to the fact that he had been in; and on the question as to which boots he wore on the night of the murder and next morning, there was a good deal of uncertainty. As to the robbery, ho said that the house had been ransacked, and ho asked was it likely, if, as suggested by the Crown, that the prisoner’s motive was money, that he would not have known the habits of the deceased, especially as he was in the habit of visiting the house, and would have been aware where the money was kept. His theory was that the crime was the work of strangers. All Bosher’s movements after the murder, such as going about bis work as usual, sleeping well, &c.. were consistent with the theory of innocence ; and as to the knife, what was more likely than that a man who know he was suspected, and had been worried by the police, would, from fear, hide the weapon though he had not committed the crime. Regarding the evidence that Bosher was anxious that his name should not appear in print, counsel explained that this was possibly due to the fact that ho bad contrasted a bigamous marriage, and that the announcement of his whereabouts would lead to unpleasant, results. Mr Wilford then 2>roceecled to analyse the evidence. Mr Justice Edwards occupied four hours in summing up and the jury retired at 6 o’clock. They returned after 11 p.m. with a verdict of “ guilty,” and sentence of death was pronounced in the usual way. The Court was crowded, though the hour was late. Bosher received the sentence very calmly. AVhen asked if he had anything to say, ho said that before be was arrested several witnesses had come to him and told him that if the police arrested him they would see him through, but they had betrayed him, and he left them to their consciences.