Death For Chinese

Murderer

Suva Sequel To Ocean Island Tragedy

Prom Our Own Correspondent SUVA, Sept. 26.

“T DID not do it,” replied Tai Shek, 1 when asked if he had anything to say before the death sentence was imposed on him to-day for the murder Df William Thomas Allen, an engineer, if the British Phosphate Commission, at Dcean Island, on April 26. The story of ihe protracted police inquiry was told in September PIM.

Throughout his week-long trial at the Supreme Court, Suva, Tai Shek (a young Chinese) maintained a passive com )osure. In the words of the judge, he iid not admit anything.

Owing to the illness of the Acting Chief Fustice, the former Chief Magistrate (Mr.

C. G. D. Higginson) had been ap >ointed to the bench for the trial.

Assessors Divided

The five assessors (Messrs. W. G. Carey, R. Denton, R. G. Evetts, R. O. Free nan and T. F. French) failed to reach i unanimous recommendation, three of hem saying “guilty” and two “not uilty.”

The evidence covered a good deal of round that has already been given wide üblicity.

The principal facts were that Mr. dlen was found stabbed to death in the edroom, and Mrs. Allen in the lounge f their house at Ocean Island. In his amming up, the judge said it was pos

sible that Mrs. Allen had been a witness of the murder of her husband and had been pursued and stabbed while she was endeavouring to telephone for help (The telephone line had been severed ap parently with a knife).

Knife And Footprints

A blood-stained knife had been found 60 yards from the house. It could have inflicted the fatal wounds, but the prose

cution failed to establish a direct con nection between the knife and Tai Shek.

Blood-stained footprints in the Allens’ house were made by shoes similar to shoes possessed by the prisoner, but, again no direct link was proved.

No motive was suggested. Nothing was said about motive.

His Honour said that the case depended entirely on the evidence of right-hand and left-hand thumb and palm prints

found at the bedroom window. The prints were such as would be made by a person getting through the window.

An Australian fingerprint expert had taken prints of every person in Ocean [sland and had stated his absolute be lief that the prints at the window were those of Tai Shek.

The murder, said his Honour, had been committed between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. in April 26, and Tai Shek, who had an alibi for the early part of the night, when he was seen in his bed, had no alibi for the period from 1.45 a.m. until 1 a.m.

There was no tittle of evidence to sup 3ort a defence allegation that the prints it the window were forgeries, said the judge.

Clothing Question

During the hearing of evidence it had ieen stated that there was a consider able amount of blood in the two rooms, [t had been pointed out that no blood stains had been found on clothing be onging to Tai Shek and that the ac cused man had no opportunity of wasti ng or disposing of any blood-stained Nothing. In his summing up the judge suggested the possibility that the murder lad been committed by a naked man who vould have had ample time to wash in he sea.

Addressing the prisoner, the judge aid; “In my opinion the evidence clearly iroves that it was you who committed he murder, and I find you guilty of the nurder with which you are charged.”

The case for the Crown was con lucted by Mr, Gordon Bryce and that for he defence by Mr. H. Maurice Scott.