THE CAIN MURDER CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5841, 2 February 1887, Page 3

THE CAIN MURDER CASE.

Hall Found Guilty. The Death Sentence. Respite — Reference to the Court of Appeal, [Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, Fbb. 1. The trial of Thomas Hall for the murder of Captain Cain, step-father of his wife, after lasting eight days, came to a conclusion this evening, when the jury, after a retirement of a little over an hour, returned to the Court with a verdict of " Guilty," and the Judge, assuming the black cap, sentenced the prisoner to death. The execution is to be respited until the I question of the ad mission of aertain evidence | was considered by the Court of Appeal, i The Judge added that he concurred in the j verdict of the jury. Mr Chapman con- ] i tinued his address for the detence this i | morning, and it occupied up to the j 1 luncheon adjournment, when Mr Haggitt j addressed the jury on behalf of the Crown, i He made a scathing reference to the suggestion made by the defence that the ; motive of gain was not sufficient to cause ; Hall to cruelly kill a dying man, and asked the jury to remember that here was a man who did not hesitate to attempt to poison his wife at a time when he ought to have given her his best care. The Judge Bummed up in a most painstaking manner, | going through the evidence and sifting it, | pointing out to the jury where any conflict | occurred. He was at times wearisome to the large attendance in the Court, who could Bcaroely hear him. At 5.30 there ! was such a general stampede that the j people had to bs stopped from going out. [ The Jud/e concluded the first branch of the case, and there was a short adjournment. He resumed hie Bnmming up then, and the jury retired at 6.20. After they 1 had been absent about an hour it became j known that they had arrived at a decision, and the people commenced to flock into the Court. The Judge was cent for and arrived at ten minutes to 8, the jury having filed into their places beforehand. There was the stillness of death when the jury were asked " How say you, gentle--1 men ?" The answer came immediately : " Guilty." Of all the people in the Court perhaps the prisoner was the most, unmoved, and when asked if he had anything to say why sentence should not be passed on him, he answered clearly and firmly that he did not think it would be any use for him to say anything. Judge Williams eaid he agreed with the verdict of the jury. He then assumed the black cap, and proceeded to pronounce the last most dread sentence of the Court, saying : — " I do ; not think it is in the least necessary for me to add one word to the sentence which, by law, I have to pronounce. The judgment of the law is that you, Thomas Hall, be taken from the place where you now are to the prison from whence you came and thence to the place of execution, and that there, in the manner and form by law appointed, you be hanged by the neck ; until you are dead." He then said that he ! would order the execution to be respited i until a question of law regarding the ! evidence was decided by the Supreme | Court. The Judge's voice trembled in delivering the sentence, and so oppressive , was the solemnity of the scene that there ,' was scarcely a person in Court unmoved, ', except the prisoner.