SENTENCED TO DEATH

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1748, 6 September 1905, Page 54

SENTENCED TO DEATH

THE SWAN MURDER. INVERCARGILL, August 30. The trial of Daniel Swan for the murder of his wife on July 27th Avill continue to-morrow, there being still twelve witnesses for the Crown to examine. Couneel for accused’s cross-examination is chiefly in the direction of eliciting information as to accused’s mental condition. especially in regard to religion. One of the sons said he had heard accused argue that murder was not so great a sin as to commit suicide. Mr Justice Cooper remarked that unless counsel was setting up insanity as a defence, and intended calling expert evidence to that effect, it was no use asking lay witnesses about their impressions of accused’s mental condition. INVERCARGILL, September 1. 1 Daniel Swan was to-day found guilty of the murder of his wife on June 28th, in Invercargill, by without warning or quarrel, attacking her with a flat-iron, and afterwards cutting hex throat with a razor. No witnesses were called for the defence, Accused’s counsel, Mr Barclay, argued that the Crown had produced no evidence that Swan cut his wife’s throat, and suggested sudden mania as the cause for the crime. Mr Justice Cooper said that was a matter that might be argued before a Judge. The jury retired for an hour, and returned with a verdict of guilty. Mr Justice Cooper then passed the death sentence. Swan was little if at all agitated, and on getting into an adjoining room asked (as he did when taken to the police station on the night of the tragedy) for a cigarette.