MURDER OF ALICE NEWMAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14685, 19 November 1909, Page 2

MURDER OF ALICE NEWMAN

ROBERTS CONVICTED. STRONG RECOMMENDATION TO MERCY. DEATH SENTENCE PASSED. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, November 18. The trial of Arthur John Wilson Roberts for the murder of Alice Edith Newman was continued in the Supreme Court today, before Mr Justice Denniston. The taking of evidence had been finished the previous night, and it only remained for tho jury to hear counsel's" addresses and his Honor's summing up. The only addition to the ease was the putting in of fomo letters from Roberts, which h?d been found in a bag belonging to Miss Newman. Lengthy adressos were given by counsel, and his Honor commenced to sum up at 11.10 a.m. He said that it was itmiecKsarv I'or him to impress on the jury the serious nature, of the, duty which they were called upon to discharge. They need have no fear of the horror and remorse referred to by counsel for defendant if they did their .duty honestly and conscientiously and found a verdict on the evidence before them. The case was in some respects a simple one. Tire Crown had to establish beyond any reasonable doubt that the accused and no other person had committed the act. Counsel for the defence had suggested that Read, Burns, and Wanviek°were biassed against the accused, but there was nothing to support this, and there was a suggestion that they were not honest witnesses. The shots must have been fired by one of three persons who had a conversation at the top of the stairs—the deceased, Warwick, or Robcrts-or some other person who was concealed on the premises. There was no motive in the cases of Bums and Warwick, and the jury could banish any consideration of that from their minds. As to a person being conoealed on the premises, there was no supgestion that the woman had any enemies There was evidence that Roberts was in love with the girl, and if the suggested motive was jealousy or disappointed affection, there was clear evidence of its existence. It had been shown that Robert's had got possession of the revolver on tho Sunday, and it was in his possession when he was arrested on the Tutsdav mornm* Counsel for the defence had' suggested that if the accused had committed the crime lie would have at once get, awav as far as possible > but the juryNvere endied to consider that such a. course would on huibdf. Counsel for the defence had adopted the unusual, but perfectly proipr f ,p L C ?, m,t tlle eaime > "A tben that ■J. hi.did it he was mentally irresponsible S°Z incMjcn . tal, y «*ntioned that this be ng tbe ease of a man without means, Mr Hunter was defending him without Jfew, ts bound t say that the accused had been well and «y, ( Wendd and that co d for the defence had" been said llio questions which the iurv ™|M have to consider were: J i ra ,S ■ "ft*? Ml Alice Edith t W i { > h ltr l )lw " d to yon tot he was at th e ti me kh JZ J»d« a disease of mind to such an et° sanding the nature and quality of the act defence was entity ii ? , Ule "■poctful consderaf n to gentlemen of at andinV in 7 u™ service ™d C ," S '" Ule Public theCrowV m R( l usste < bv Plain that h e ael ? Memed to ke '"■fortunate, wCS e T 7, oftte generates That fin, descnbed as decieut defend m? eVer ' '?* " 0t * Mffl■noral and fact tllat llis was not sufficient anrn Wn ll!,blU I^iiontakeno^mefi/S,^" 01 '^ ™ dtt »tl>»mVlaUndX^V T V tion was const'«f..„f '.7 pj V, Slca l condib.V his actions 7nd 1? S heisd held out a Lof llst°'Tthe act was the res, inf W""» that Md the juv [Z t f °P ] ¥ ic Canity, «>ey had mH ,P C °" 6ldei ' lvhe «'er down by law T|, '7'°, sf < u,d ™< laid «W possibility tat Z m . ei ) <" being puL f e instead been sudd » ml"" d l ! , , lbe ™t«» have J h«t the iuS3 C 2 I ' „"% turned overcome bv ,»' • ,at hm 'i act iinconsciouslv '" ri"! mig ll co,llmi t th s considered caSil v 1 b b ,V. nta Bh ? n,d ' J0 cl V s ?« his Honor sSI fcjV' In rol " J 1 ™ not satisfied rth ' le J " y ' t« make »nv ob. J, : econd lss "«, coiild not, of "on ' ff Ki ? omi,l ct. It "I'wdut fZ\f' h ffe , cfc fe fe Honor) not M y L he could ""Sbt/have lo w],fl ffM » however, oZ to 11° • mi ' Uei " II Prw* ve, "i " 6 to ex " "*s, suggest iWfToS POmt Whieh it,'tS SI t™ t0 -sider the com' 'the ± m ,**• into The accused and hu guard., took ~n ■h«r potions i„ the io^ZiAZ iflhe inr l> S 'l le,,Ce the asked reply tn'\n il nßreed " n<l a oY tw " afireemeDt had b «» «>me enlies t l' 6 '""" hnnded in written lf F # j\ to ,- <,lle IS6Ues wl "' cl1 ''ad been » r « o _!»ue was "Yes," a.r.d to the second

j* 1 ,«■«-«. v„. Have you anything to wv u-U. „ tence should not be m y SC11 "

His Honor then assumed the black cap and pronounosd sentence of death.

Beyond a twitching of his month and an unnatural brightness in his eyes, Uie condemned man gave no sign of emotion. He was escorted from the dock and courtroom by the gaol officials. His Honor thanked the jury for their services. They had paid great attention and care to the discharge of a very painful duty.