FINGER PRINTS FAIL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1680, 21 February 1913, Page 5

FINGER PRINTS FAIL.

FITZROY MURDER: THOMPSON ACQUITTED. "AGE" NEWSPAPER FINED. By Telegraph—Froii Association-Copyright (lU'C. February 20, 9.50 p.m.) ' Melbourne, February 20. Chief Justice. Madden, summing up in the trial of Thompson, accused of. tho murder of Trailer iii tho Fitzroy case, Siiid that if tho jury were satisfied that the Singer-print on tbo window-sill was Thompson's, they were at liberty to convict tho accused of iniirder. It appeared Unit the accused was iii tho Post Office Hotel, in the neighbourhood of the tragedy, until eleven, o'clock that night. Thompson had Said that he then took i the train t<s town. If that were so, one would have, thought ho-would have been able to call someone who saw him. The corroborating circumstances, though slight, were not without significance. Tho jury, after a four-hours retirement, returned with a verdict of "Not Guilty." Tho croWd outside the Court cheered when thS verdict was announced and escorted Thompson down tho street, cheering.. ,- ■ THE "AGE" FINED. (Rec. February 21, 1.10 a.m.) -. Melbourne, February 20. The editor of tho ."Age" has bSen fined .£lO, and th 6 publisher £1, for contempt of Court in' connection with a paragraph published during the trial of Thompson, stating that the 1 finger-prints could' bo faked, and reproduced with a lubber stainp and used to the detriment of the prisoner. A second paragraph stated that ''the jury is the.most befogged jury that ever sat in this Court." , 1 Chief Justice Madden said that this paragraph, though not in'good taste, was not contempt. Ho accepted an apology.' The trial of Thompson took a 1 sensational turn on Tuesday when the Crown Prosecutor declared that the skin of the accused's index-finger. had been so tampered with as to modify the similarity between _ his imprint and that which was discovered on the window-sill, outside tho scene of tho tragedy. The murder . of Trotter was'a particularly brutal one. Tho victim,! collector of a confectionary l firm, refused to surrender his day's takings when-menaced by two burglars, who threatened him' with a revolver, and finally shot nini, escaping with the money,. The Victoria Government offered a reward of' JJSOO, and the deceased's i firm ,£IOO for information. which would lead to the detection of the miscreants.