MURDER CASE RECALLED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15375, 9 August 1913, Page 2 (Supplement)

MURDER CASE RECALLED.

CLAPHAM COMMON CASE.

AN ALLEGED CONFESSION.

Interest in a notable crime— murder of Louis Beron on Clapham Common on New Year's Day, 1911 was revived by au alleged confession made at Jamaica, by a gunner named Veare, that he had killed Beron. A man named Stiue Morrison is now undergoing a life sentence for the murder. Petitions for Morrison's release have been in preparation for some time, and the confeesion was made simultaneously with a request from the convict's sobcitors for the return of all copies of the petitions.

The military authorities at Kingston refused to make public the terms of the confession which has been made by Gunner Veare, of the Garrison Artillery stationed at Port Royal, but some further details respecting the man who has accused himself, of the crime for which Stinie Morrison was condemned have become available.

Veare had been posted for four days as a deserter when he gave himself up to the military police, and declared himself to be the perpetrator of the murder. He was immediately placed under medical observation, and later he made a detailed statement, in which he, on oath, declared himself to be the murderer, and stated that he joined the army shortly after the deed.

Veare, who was drafted to Jamaica 18 months ago, has further asserted that Scotland Yard is in possession of his finger-print, and added that he lived near Clapham. Veare is a man of morose disposition, short, dark complexioned, with a black moustache, and it has been observed that he has consistently declined to be photo.graphed with any of his comrades.

The Confession Retracted.

However, when he was handed , over to the civil authorities, Veare declared his confession was bogus, and that it was merely a ruse which he had employed in order to be sent back to England. Mr. Claude Lurnley, Stinie Morrison's solicitor, said he was not surprised at the alleged confession, as he was firmly convinced of Morrison's innocence.

"We have now 30,000 signatures to the fresh petition which is to be presented to the Home Secretary for the release of Stinie Morrison," he said, "and we fully expect .a further 10,000 before it is presented." Mr. Luinley added that, supposing the confession were genuine, he was surprised that it should have come from such a quarter. He would not have been astonished, however, had it come from France or Che United States.

The petition of Messrs. Lumley and Co. recalls the letter "S" was cut on the two cheeks of Beron, and that it was established at the trial that the Russian, word for spy was "schpick." , It was ateo proved that Beron was a member of a certain Russian anarchist club in Jubilee Street, which was frequented by Peter the Painter, and the prosecution conceded that Morrison was not a member, and that be had no connection with the Houndsditch burglars nor with Peter the Painter. It is surged on his behalf that, having regard to the unnecessary mutilation of the body, the cutting upon the cheeks of the two " S's," and 1 the coincidence of the dates between the surrounding and besieging of Sidney Street 'and (he murder of Beron. the motive of the crime was plainly indicated as vengeance rather than robbery. It,. is also pointed out by the petition that none of the deceased's property k was ever traced to Morrison, arid that he was not in want of money. Further? it is claimed that the evidence -.of identification given by those persons who said they saw Morrison in the vicinity ci Clanham Common about the time of the <rim« was worthless. The-petition was presented to the Home Office, on July 9, with 45,000 signatures.