ON THIS DAY - December 25, 1889 CAMBERWELL The Camberwell Murder. ANGLIN SENTENCED TO DEATH. The sentence of death was passed yesterday on John Anglin for the murder of his wife, at the residence of her brother-in law, Mr Herbert Rhodes, Inglesby-road Camberwell, on December 25th last. Evidence was given yesterday, says The Argus, that the prisoner had sustained severe concussion of the brain by falling from a railway bridge near Inglewood some few years ago and also that Dr Lethbridge, of Alexandra, had pronounced him to be a dangerous lunatic in 1887, but as the other medical gentleman who was called in to examine him differed from that opinion, Anglin was liberated. Mr Parves, who appeared with Sir Bryan OLoghlen, for the defence, pointed out to the jury that several medical gentlemen had expressed the belief that the prisoner was insane at the time he committed the deed with which he was charged and he ought, therefore, to be acquitted. Mr Walsh, who, together with Mr Johnston, conducted the case on behalf of the Crown, called attention to the fact that the accused had prepared himself for the murder by carrying a loaded revolver to the house where he knew his wife was residing, and had not acted on the spur of the moment during a sudden impulse or fit of insanity; and further, that Anglin went to the Hawthorn lock-up immediately after the murder and asked to be arrested for killing his wife, thus showing that he was fully aware that he had done a wrongful act. The jury, after two hours deliberation, returned a verdict of guilty, with a strong recommendation to mercy, on the grounds of the delusions under which the prisoner laboured regarding his wifes fidelity. The prisoner made a long statement, reviewing his past career and his religious tendencies and said he had made peace with God, and was not afraid to meet death on the scaffold. In passing sentence His Honour said he would not hold out any hope as to whether the Executive Council would commute the punishment or not.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 01:00:01 +0000
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