LOVERS' SUICIDE PACT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18548, 5 November 1923, Page 7

LOVERS' SUICIDE PACT.

REPRIEVE FOR SURVIVOR. A. and N.Z. LONDON. Nov. 2. Robert Sheppard, charged with the murder of Florence Jones in July, lias been reprieved. Florence Jones, a girl aged 20, and Robert Sheppard. aged 23, lived together as man and wife. They intended to be married as soon as the girl was 21 years iof age. Affairs did not, prosper with I them, and, according to a statement i made bv the man, they concluded a pact ! under which both would commit suicide ,by iras poisoning. 'Hie girl turned the I t-,is "on in the room in which they were sitting and asked the man to go into the next room. He did so. While he was waiting he regretted his decision and rushed into the room, intending to save the girl, but found her dead. Sheppard was committed for trial on a charge of murder. . Mr. Justice Swift, summing up at the trial," said that counsel for the defence bad used the expression "legal" murder. "I do not appreciate that sort of remark," paid Hie Lordship, who added that as recently as December last the Court of Criminal Appeal reiterated and laid down emphatically" that if two people agreed together to commit suicide, and one carried /jut the bargain i'lid the other did not, the one who died committed suicide, and the other who aid not, committed wilful murder. The jurv returned a verdict of guilty, with a strong recommendation to mercy. . Asked if he bad anything to sav, prisoner replied: "Nothing, only that I have had a fair trial, and that I am rather glad of the verdict." Sentence of death was passed, and Mr. Justice Swift told the jury that, the recommendation of me rev would be forwarded to the proper quarter.