REPRIEVE OF MURDERER.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 12, 15 January 1924, Page 5

REPRIEVE OF MURDERER.

IMPRISONMENT FOR LIFE LONDON, January 14. The Home Secretary announces that : investigation concerning a statement ; made in prison by Dearnley, who was ' condemned to death for the murder of Drummer Ellis, is complete. The result ' does not touch the validity of the ver- ' diet, but it affords grounds for remission -of the death penalty. He recommends 1 that the sentence be commuted to 1 imprisonment for life. — (A. and N.Z.) Dearnley. who was a lance corporal in the First' Leicester Regiment, was con- ' victed of the murder on May 23 of Drummer Ellis, whose bound skeleton " was found at Aldershot several months 1 later. The accused gave evidence that : he decided to punish Ellis because the 1 latter objected to his courting a girl, and made offensive remarks. He persuaded Ellis to play Indians and allow himself to be tied with a rope. He told Ellis that he would return and untie him, but he was prevented from returning next day. and then did not think it worth troubling the police. Tt was stated in evidence that accused's brother and ! mother were inmates of asylums. - | . j