THE PETONE MURD ERS.

Western Star, Issue 1300, 27 March 1897, Page 2

THE PETONE MURD ERS.

CONVICTION OP BOSHER. DEATH SENTENCE PASSED. Judge Edwards occupied four hours in summiDg up, and the jury retired at 6 p.m. Tboy returned after 11 o'clock with a verdict of" Guiliy," and sentence of death was pronounced in the usual way. Tho court was orowdod though the hour was late. Bosher recoived the sentence very calmly. When asked if he had anything to say bo said that before he was arrested several witnesses bad come to him and told him that if the police arrested him thev would see him through, but they had betrayed him and be left them to their oouscienees. BOSHER AN OLD CRIMINAL. According to the narrative of Boaher's career published in the Post the convict's real name is Etienne Jean Brcoher, which would account for the fact that he used to be known in Akaroa a# Brusher. He id believed to have been born about 1857 in Belfort, near Pari3. He first became known to the police in Titnarn in 1874, whan a oharge of theft against him was dismissed. Next year he got 18 months "for forgery. He then went to Akaroa, where he married his first wife in 1878. In 1882 he disap. peared after borrowing a horse saddle which he sold in Lyttelton. ia still out against, him for this, but the witnesses are not now available. Until he returned in 1890 nothing is known cat his own account, already published, that he was foroed to serve among the ames damnees of the French army in Algiers. On returning he telegraphed to"his wife ask. ing whether he should eo back to her and she replied : " No, never." Her description of him is : " My husband is the sort of man who, if he knew a man had -money in his house, would make a friend of him and then take every means to get it. One who did not know him wonld think him genuine, but he is a bad lot altogether." The jury wera out so long that it is stated that eleven were in favor of a verdict of guilty but the other objected to capital punishment and the time was spent bringing him round to the views of the majority. No comment is made on fact, bnt it is very noticeable that Bosher, when asked if he had anything to say before sentence was pronounced, made no protestation of innocence.