GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER

Taranaki Daily News, 30 April 1930, Page 9

GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER

FIFTEEN YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT.

JUDGE SURPRISED AT VERDICT.

By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.

Rec. 11.50 p.m. Sydney, April 29. Paul Meniel, charged with the murder of James Smith (or Sorensen) at Narrabri, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. Tho Judge said he was unable to understand how the jury could arrive at a verdict of manslaughter. Ho described Meniel as a singularly callous criminal.

FIRST JURY FAILED TO AGREE.

GHASTLY ECHO OF DRUNKENNESS.

Sydney, April 16. The trial at Narrabri, New South Wales, was concluded yesterday of Paul Meniel, charged with murdering his camp mate, James Smith, or Sorensen, whose body was found in a creek on November 11. The jury failed to agree after being locked up for the night. At the inquest into the death oi the murdered man, Smith, on December 6, Meniel, a German labourer aged 50, related how during a drunken quarrel in an old hut Smith attempted to strike him with a brick or stone, which Meniel wrested from him. Ho struck Smith with it, and Smith fell and appeared to gc. to sleep. A short time afterwards, Meniel said, he saw him reach for a rifle. A scuffk ensued. Meniel seized the rifle', which exploded, and Smith fell. Later, said M:niel, he noticed that Smith was dead. He secured an axe and cut up the body and placed the parts in ba"s and dumped them in a creek. Mcmcl then worked about the district for some days and had a great deal of drink. lie sold Smith’s motor truck. Then he too* Smith’s name and left the district.