WHANGARI MURDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15729, 2 October 1914, Page 4

WHANGARI MURDER.

SENTENCE COMMUTED, IMPRISONMENT' FOR LIFE. [BY TELEGRAM— COBKESrO.VDENI] ', Hi V Wellington, rnuTßday. The sentence of death which was passed upon Daniel Hamraon in ; tho Supreme Court at Auckland, for the murder of his wife at Whangarei, on July 21, has been commuted by the Governor to one of imprisonment for life. After a trial on September 4, which lasted-throughout the day, Hammon was found guilty of murder, and sentenced to death. Tho jury, which had deliberated for over two hours, added a strong recommendation to mercy, which His Honor Mr. Justice Cooper stated would bo forwarded to tho. proper authorities. The murder occurred at' Whangarei on July 21. On the evening before tho tragedy, Mrs. Hamraon asked her husband for some money, and received £2, which she told him \ho could have back - when he went to work. Early the next morning, Hammon, who slept in a tent, packed his "swag," went in to his wife's room and asked for money. , Sho refused his request, and ho went away, returning a few minutes later with an axe. Ho followed his wife into tho kitchen, and struck her a blow from behind with the blunt edge of 'the axe She fell to the-floor stunned, and then tho man struck her five times on the head with the blado ol tho axe, finally leaving tho weapon deeply embedded in her skull. A plea of insanity was jet up by Hammon's counsel, Mr. Hall Skelton. ■-. . v . '/'.