THE AMBERLEY MURDER.
SHEEHAN SENTENCED TO DEATH, Chkistchukch, June 16. The adjourned criminal sessions of the Supreme Court ware resumed thi3 morning to take the case in connection with the Amberley murder. A large number of people assembled an- hour before the Court opened, and every available seat was occupied. William Sheehan, alias Hugh Eraser, wag charged with the wilful murder of Agnes Lawcock, and pleaded not guilty. Mr Stringer conducted the caoO for the Crown, and Mr Joynt appeared for the prisoner. The evidence up to the luncheon adjournment dealt with the finding of .the body of the deceased, and the identification of the prisoner us the man who was seen in tho vicinity at tho timo the murder is supposed to have been committed. Ihe prisoner had called at several houses in the neighbourhood asking for sugar, and had also made enquiries from people he met as to the road to Waikari.
After luncheon Dr Symo, who was called as a medical witness by the defonce, considered the accused to be a goitrous, degenerato man suffering from satyriasis, with abnormally exaggerated sexual desires, which were not necessarily uncontrollable. The accused had at one timo received an injury to his head, and it might result in epilepsy, which might induce impulsive insanity of a homicidal or suicidal kind. Taking into consideration the circumstances of the crime, the witness thought that the accused knew right from wrong, and knew that he was doing wrong. The jury found accused guilty, and he was sentenced to death.
Dunedin, June 16. At tho Polico Court John Douglas Norris was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment l'or assaulting Mr Eevington, licensee of a hotel, who was assisting a police constable to arrest Norris’ brother, when the prisoner knocked him down, fracturing his leg. Ashburton, June 17.
Edward "Wiggins, farmer, has been committed for trial on three charges of having stolen his neighbours' sheep ; and Mungo J. Douglas, teller in the Bank of New Zealand, on a charge of embezzlement. ,
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Mail, Issue 1321, 24 June 1897, Page 21
Word Count
334THE AMBERLEY MURDER. New Zealand Mail, Issue 1321, 24 June 1897, Page 21
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