SENTENCE OF DEATH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18541, 29 April 1922, Page 10

SENTENCE OF DEATH

MOREE MURDER TRIAL. Presa Association—By T*l«*jrraph—Copyright j SYDNEY; April 27. ! John Curran was found ' guiltv of niur-! dering Thomas Hogan, Mayor of Moree,; and was sentenced to death. • The defence entered a plea of insanity. The accused, in giving evidence, blamed; Mr Hogan for the loss of a stadium which accused had built at Moree, but for whichhei'faiTtdVtJJ' obtain'Sa, ncense to hold box-' ing contests. He went shearing, and i while he was away Mr Hogan, as Mayor, i obtained the permission of the Chief Seore-: tary, broke the locks of the stadium, and : held a boxing contest for patriotic purposes. Accused demanded to see Mr Slogan’s authority for entering the stadium l tend during the altercation the tragedy occurred. i [On December 12 the Mayor of Moree j (Mr T. R. .Hogan) was shot dead while] walking home from church. A man named j Curran was arrested. He said to the j police: “I am satisfied that I shot him.” I An eye-witniss said that the assailant fired: three,allotsj.at,J\fe Hogan’s .head and body, ; 'followed by- two Tnof'e at" the prostrate body. Curran possessed a rifle, also a belt with on automatic revolver and 3CO rounds . of ammunition Curran served a sentence : some years ago for attempting to shoot a; solicitor. 'Mr Hogan had been 31 years in ) Moree.]