CHARGE OF MURDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14221, 18 November 1909, Page 5

CHARGE OF MURDER.

THE OHRISTCHURCH TRAGEDY

SUPREME COURT TRIAL. '

[by TELEGRAPH.—PRESS association.] Chbistchtjrch, Thursday. The trial of Arthur John Wilson Roberts for the murder of Alice Newman, opened at the Sunreme Court to-day before Mr. ) Justice Denniston. The prisoner's position : did not seem to weigh heavily upon him. -When he' entered the dock there was a nervous twitching perceptable about ' his mouth, but this disappeared in the course , of a few minutes. The prisoner was permitted to sit down on a seat in the dock. He evidenced only a mild interest in the evidence, only occasionally raising his head and regarding the witnesses with a gaze j that indicated that ''their testimony was interesting him. . 5

• The prisoner pleaded "not guilty," and was defended by Mr. W. J. Hunter. Mr. T. W. Stringer, Crown Prosecutor, appeared for the Crown.

The case for this Crown was stated by the . Crown Prosecutor. He said the evidence would establish that the girl met her death at the hands of prisoner. She bad been employed as a waitress at the Silver Grid restaurant, kept by Mr. Burns. She had a great many admirers/ among them being prisoner. -He evidenced very strong jealousy of anyone having anything to do

■with the girl, . and had interfered with people who went out with . her. ■ Counsel detailed the visit of the prisoner to the. Silver -Grid on the night of the murder, and the conversation which he had with. Warwick. The girl had evidently been shot 'with a revolver in her own room The prisoner was not seen to .go through the main building after the tragedy, but after using a weapon he could have gone along either of two corridors and down either of two fire-escapes. The movements of the prisoner before and after the commission of the murder were outlined, and counsel read a letter which accused wrote to Mr. Burns, and which contained some important statements. The only possible defence, said- the Crown Prosecutor, was that prisoner, was not responsible for his actions, and that he was entitled to be acquitted on that ground. The onus of provine that, however, rested on the defence. '•... ■-:} ;. ..- : --'.\":

In . opening for the defence, Mr Hunter submitted that the Crown had . failed to show that Roberts had not left the Silver Grid on the night ofHhe murder after sayins he would see' the witness Warwick at eight o'clock nest morning. There was also nothing to show that Roberts had a revolver on him when he was at the Silver Grid. Another significant fact was. that there was no blood found on prisoner, or on his clothes. Further, his whole conduct .was inconsistent with the commission of a brutal murder. It would be submitted that there was no confession contained in the letters .which the constable said prisoner was writing in the Prebbleton Hotel when arrested. They were simply the letters of. a lad of suicidal tendencies, and .had* reference -to , his own proposed suicide. These e letters were in the prisoner's possession before : the tragedy took 2 place., The > evidence was .not sufficient to prove - beyond all reasonable doubt that prisoner committed the crime. There was also the,defence that prisoner, if he did commit the crime, - was not responsible for his actions, and evidence would ; be called to show that he,had - not. a reasonable < or ordinary degree of mentality. >*,;:.'

I Evidence was then given as • outlined by counsel for accused.?" - »■-•-- - -•..-' ■- ' ■

:The evidence for the defence closed tonight. .'..': The .addressesof counsel will be heard to-morrow. ... .. . - .'...i ?, ■'•'