MURDER OF FOOTBALLER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20316, 26 January 1928, Page 9

MURDER OF FOOTBALLER

REPRIEVE OF ACCUSED REFUSED. (Prc«« Association —H* Telegraph—Copyright ) LONDON, January 24. Sir Austen Chamberlain (Acting Home Secretary) refused to recommend a reprieve of Rowlands and Driscoll. ■ CONSTERNATION IN CARDIFF. SEVERAL DEMONSTRATIONS. . LONDON, January 24. (Received Jan. 25, at 7.20 p.m.) The decision that Edward Rowlands and Driscoll must die on Friday caused consternation m Cardiff, where Sir Austen Chamberlain’s reply to a monster petition was received by crowds in the streets, especially in the Roman Catholic district. Special editions of the newspapers were quickly bought up, and there were many demonstrations. The police are already taking special precautions for the execution, and announce that people will not be allowed within 250yds of the gaol. Special bar riers will be erected. Sir Austen Chamberlain’s statement says that after most careful and anxious consideration he finds no grounds to justify him, consistently with his public duty, fo” advising interference with the sentences. As John Rowlands has been certified insane, a respite was granted in his case, and he has been removed to Broadmoor.— A. and N.Z. Cable.

Four race course frequenters—John Rowlands, Edward Rowlands, Daniel Driscoll, and William Smith—had been charged at the Glamorgan Assizes with the murder of David Lewis, a Cardiff footballer. The prosecution described it as the most brutal and beastly murder imaginable. The four surrounded Lewis, who was a fine athlete, and held his arms behind his back, and deliberately cut his throat. Thou they left him to die by the roadside. The prosecution contended that the whole four were guilty of murder. The jury found all the men guilty, except Smith, who was discharged. A message received on Monday read as follows ; —“ A somewhat sensational development has taken place in the Lewis murder ca'se. A definite medical challenge has been issued that Lewis did not die as the result of injuries, but from heart failure. Documents bearing on the matter are now at the Home Office, where Sir Austen Chamberlain is acting for Sir W. Joynson Hicks, who is on the Continent. The new evidence is staled to he the outcome of a Harley street doctor’s personal interest. It is salt he motored 900 miles from the Riviera in two days to take up the case of the condemned men, who are due to be executed next Friday. The specialist in the case docs not want his name associated with it. Ho admits it is strong action to take, but when the facts ascertained by the doctor who conducted the post mortem wore brought to his knowledge it was the only course possible. The defence hopes that the intervention will not only cancel the execution, but liberate the accused men. The case has caused immense excitement in Wales, where petitions have been signed by hundreds of thousands of people.”