"WELL AND TRULY DEAD."

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 97, 24 December 1913, Page 3

"WELL AND TRULY DEAD."

INTERESTING DOCUMENTS. The? following documents, published in the .latest Gazette, are interesting as showing tho means taken tQ formally- prove that a sentence of hanging, has been- properly carried out ;—t •' Certificate and Declaration of Exccu tion of Criminal. Department of Justice, Wefliiigtbn, 16th December, 19115. rjIHE following certificate and dcJL duration are published in conformity with the provisions of tin: Crimes Act, 1908. A. L. HER DM AX/ Minister of Justice. * Certificate. I, John Alexander Newell, the Medical Officer in attendance .at the execution bf Alfred Mortram Biddle at fsts> Prison of Lyttelton, ( do hereby certify »and declare that J.huve ..this, 'clay witnessed the execution of the sifid Alfred Mortram- -Biddle -at-the sajid prison, and Ido further certify uffd declare that the said Alfred Mortfam Biddle was, in pursuance of the sentence of the Supreme Court, hanged, by tho neck until his body was dead. Given under my hand this 115th day of December, 1913, at the Prison of Lvttelton. J. A. NEWELL. Declaration. We do hereby testify and declare that we have this day been present ;?when the extreme penalty, of .the law wss carried into execution on the body oj| Alfred Mortram Biddle, convicted afe the criminal sittings of the Su-. prpme Court held at Christchurch on •tfth 17th day of November last, and sentenced to death; and that the said Alfred Mortram Biddle was, in pursuance of the.said sentence, hanged by the neck until his body was dead. Dated tins 13th day of December, in he year 1913, at the Prison of Lyttelton. ' ** W. A. HAWKINS, Sheriff. T. R. POINTON, Gaoler. 1). KEARNEY, Chief Warder. J. A. H. MARCTEL, J.P. ANDREW BURNS. SYDNEY WATERS. FRANK RULE, Presbyterian Minister.