MURDER APPEAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18556, 17 May 1922, Page 5

MURDER APPEAL

BRILLIANT ADVOCACY FAILS. THE ARMSTRONG CASE. £*re« Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, May 15. Armstrong’s appeal was dismissed. The feature of the appeal has been Sir Henry Curtis Bennett's wonderful advocacy on behalf of the prisoner. He even surpassed his brilliant feats at the. original trial. During the appeal Sir Curtis Bennett spoke for three days without notes, and, despite frequent interruptions in the form of incisive questions from the bench, he never lost his grip of his subject, and quoted dates and incidents without effort. Sir Curtis Bennett’s feat is worthy of the highest traditions of the English Bar.—A. and N.Z. Cable. FURTHER APPEAL. APPLICATION TO HOUSE OF LORD. LONDON, May 15. (Received May 16, at 6.5 p.m.) Armstrong is applying to the AttorneyGeneral for the necessary certificate permitting him to carry his appeal to the House of Lords. The appeal was baaed firstly on an allegation that Judge Darling had improperly admitted evidence regarding alleged attempted murder of Martin, although Armstrong was not tried on that charge, and . secondly, on Judge Darling’s alleged misdirection to the jury. The appellate judges’ rejection was unanimous.—A, and N.Z. Came. [Armstrong, a Welsh solicitor, was tried in April and found guilty of the murder of his wife by administering arsento. He was sentenced to death, and notice of appeal was given.]