THE WESTPORT MURDER.

NZ Truth, Issue 179, 21 November 1908, Page 6

THE WESTPORT MURDER.

ANOTHER CLAIM FOR A

REWARD.

Mrs Pearce and an Important

Matter.

Wants Gold for Telling the Truth.

This paper, through stress of the elections and other things, particularly Prohibition and No-license, has not oeen able to give much attention to. the claim for compensation, at least of the foreigner Halinen who with his deceased <nate Andersen was 'wrongly accused, convicted and imprisoned on a charge of murdering a man named Bourke at Westport early m May last. "Truth" candidly confesses that it does not ,know the intention of the Go%'ernment towards the innocent man Halinen and the relative's of the "murdered" man Andersen, and no doubt can possibly exist that it was the gross miscarriage of Justice that hurried up the hearse. in the Norwegian's case. Perhaps "Truth" will have a great deal more to say on this matter if Halinen, at anyra'te, is not recompensed for the great wrong done- him, and the fact that. I)he self-confessed murderer and convicted perjurer Connelly is serving a seven years' stretch is no satisfaction to the innocent man, who, \vith his mate, stood a chance of

SWfNGING- FROM THE GALLOWS for a crime they knew nothing oL As "Truth" sa»ys, it does not intend to remain silent so long as Halinen's claim is ignored, and though the -Ward Government is busily engaged iii getting a majority, that is no reason why Halinen's claim should be ignored or why that wronged individual should be kept m suspense. However, a hew claimant for a reward has sprung into existence, anil- this time it is a woman, a Mrs M. A. Pearce, who claims by her evidence at. the trial of Connelly to have saved -Halinen and Andersen from now lying rotting m prison. In a letter to "Mr Norton," Mrs Pearce, writing under. date November 11, from , Westport, says :— Dear Sir.— Now, there is a very important -matter which I want to draw your .attention to v and that is tEat 1 have r been the chief cause of getting those two innocent men's ' sentence ( remitted. As they acknowledged to 'me themselves in* front of the theatre before a large audience, that oiJly for me coming forward they to-day would have been iying rotting m prison, for 1 was the lady that saw the murder committed. I wish you to draw the attention of the public to this matter, as 1 ought to be rewarded for doing so. And 'the men think so themselves and say so.— Yours sincerely, M. A. PblALiCh}. "Truth"; has not the slightest desire to encourage claimants for rewards, particularly witnesses who are sworn to. tell/the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Moreover, "Truth" being, a great stickler for women's rights, and being a chivalrous journal, it^ caiinot say of Mrs Pearce and her "important, mair ter" what it might possibly say had Mrs Pearce been a mere man. In a few words, this paper simply desires to V THROW A LITTLE COLD WATER on her claim, and begs to mention, without the slightest intention, of giving any offence,' that ' had ■' Mrs Pearce boldly como forward at the inquest or at the Police Court proceedings concerning Bourke's death and had then given the evidence tluA she swore to 1 at the trial of Connelly, the gravest, miscarriage of Justice ever brought about, m New Zealand might have been obviated. As it is, we admit that the police bungling had much todo with the suppression\of material evidence, and the ultimate ' -triumph 6f truth ' and Justice has wre'eked, the career of more than one alleged., smart crook-catcher. Further, it has to be pointed out to Mrs Pearce that her dlayn is a preposterous one; and one. that cannot be seriously entertained, though ip justice to the lady herself; we have willingly given publicity to her claim as made m the letter above. It would be an. altogether ridiculous thing for the authorities to reward witnesses for simply telling the truth; and it is necessary to point out how severe is the Law/on those who on , oath tell lies. Mrs Pearce's claim cannot be countenanced, and it ought to be a source of considerable satisfaction to her to know that her evidence was responsible for the remission of the sentence imposed on the two men, and further, the public acknowledgement by two innocenti men that it was due"to her evidence that they were , • SAVED FROM A CONVICT'S CELL / ought to convince Mrs Pearce that she played the part of a heroine m such a dramatic criminal, qase. Moreover, it seldom falls to the ..lot • of a woman to play such a part as .that of witnessing a bloody murder, and' afterwards by her evidence of -what she saw, opening the cedl door on two Avrongfully accused and unjustly convicted men. "Truth," as requested, here draws the attention of the public to-. the "important matter," as disclosed by- Mrs Pearce, who thinks she ought to be rewarded. . The best reward Mrs Pearce can receive is the thanks of the community for having saved the men and for having helped to gaol Connelly. In asking for a monetary consideration, Mrs Pearce is ill-advised, , and she ought to thank "Truth" for telling her sp. ■