OFFENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11734, 16 August 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

OFFENCES.

TRIPLE MURDER AT EYERTON. ALEXANDER McLEAN SENTENCED TO DEATH. Greyjiotjth, August 7. At the Supreme Court criminal sessions here to-day Alexander McLean was charged with the murder of the Martins at Eyreton, near Kaiapoi, on June 22. He pleaded not guilty. Mr. T. W. Stringer appeared for the Crown, and Mr. T. J. Joynt was retained by the Crown for the defence. The trial lasted from ten a.m. to half-past three p.m. Accused was a man servant at Martins, and was seen driving away on June 25. The son-in-law of Mrs. Sarah Martin had broken open the house and found her dead. The police were called and found Miss Ellen Martin and Lawrence Martin, a little boy, also dead. All were killed by fearful tomahawk wounds on the head. McLean was arrested at Tinwald on June 27. On the way to Lyttelton Gaol he confessed the crime to Detective Fitzgerald, alleging familiarity with Miss Martin, who, on his again making improper overtures, struck him 'with a poker. He became angry and hit her with the tomahawk, and then finding what he had clone, killed the others and ransacked the house, driving away in Martin's cart. The medical evidence showed that no familiarity with Miss Martin had taken place, and also showed that accused was sane, though liable to uncontrollable impulse. The jury retired at twenty minutes to one p.m., returning at twenty minutes past three, with a verdict of guilty, and a statement that they did not believe accused's story of improper relations with Miss Martin. The Judge concurred and prisoner was then sentenced to death. He replied : " Thank you, Your Honor." He was then removed to Lyttelton Gaol under a strong escort of police. CONFESSION OF MURDER. A MYSTERY EXPLAINED. Masterton-, August 5. Robert Douglas, who has been in .gaol nearly three years on a life sentence for assault on a girl at Opaki, near Masterton, confessed to the gaoler at Lyttelton that he had murdered Mrs. Suzannaii Pain, in October, 1898, at Miki Miki, eight miles from here. Mrs. Pain went out with Douglas mustering cattle, and the latter came home alone, saying Mrs. Pain had sent him back. She was afterwards found, face downwards, in a shallow stream, and, as she was subject to fits, it was supposed she was accidentally drowned. After Douglas' conviction suspicion aas aroused, and the bod/ exhumed, but nothing unusual was found except a small bruise on the head, which medical evidence went to show occurred aftez death. Accused was to-day formally charged with murder and was remarried. It is understood that Robert Douglas, in his confession, states that he was walking with Mrs. Pain on the hills when a dispute arose. He hit her on the head with a stick, and finding she became unconscious, he put her in the stream, and held the body under the water till she was drowned. It transpires that after the body of Mrs. Pain was discovered one of her boots was found several chains away. Robert Douglas was charged at the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, on the 9th August with the murder of Mrs. Pain, of Masterton, on his own confession. Mi". H. D. Bell prosecuted, and Mr. T. Wilford defended. Prisoner was committed for trial at next criminal sessions. The hearing of the charge of manslaughter against Robinson, the engineer in charge, arising out of the fatality at the Government limekilns, was concluded at Dunedin on the 30th of July. Evidence was given by R. Hay and Hursthouse, engineers, that under similar circumstances they would not have timbered the ground. The magistrate dismissed the charge. Griffiths' pawnbroker's shop in Wellington was broken into before daylight on July 28, and the windows were stripped of their contents, estimated by the proprietor to be worth £500. A retriever dog, which was kept on the premises, was found in i semi-stupefied condition, it is supposed from chloroform.