Interesting to Bathers.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 168, 28 January 1873, Page 7

Interesting to Bathers.

A curious case was tried at Edinburgh sonic months ago. It was an appeal against a conviction by one of the Sheriff-Substitutes of Forfarshire of two or three respectable lads for bathing in the North Esk, near Brechin Castle, a residence of the Marquis of Dalhousie, better known as Lord Panmure. The crime of ■which they were convicted was "Indecent exposure of the person, to the annoyance of the lieges"; and their punishment, was a line of £2 each, or lei days' imprist n ment. The Lord Justice Clerk and L< r I Weaves, however, reversed the sentence o the Sheriff-Substitute, and ordered the hi e; to be repaid, and found the Fiscal who hal prosecuted them liable in twelve guineas expenses. They pointed out that while indecent exposure inpriv;te for the purpose o" destroying the morals of young persons, o in public to the disregard of modesty; n shame, was criminal ; yet undressing was no so in all circumstances, n ore paiticu arl where bathing was the object. Lord Neaves, in a humorous sentence or two, in the corns of a rather philosophical s] e ch, decsribel exposure of person as in many cases laud ah 1 o and observed that, " in his opinion a bath :r die! not require to take exces.-ive care that h:> should not be seen. I: he were bathing a mile or two along the shore from any house, and a lady chose, through a reconnoitre glass, to look at him from motives of physiological curiosity or other motives, it was her "own fault."