ALLEGED PERJURY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 43, 15 November 1920, Page 5

ALLEGED PERJURY

THE EASTON CASE. I By Teleeranh—Press Aiiooiatton. i Palmerston North, November H. The jury failed to agree in the case of alleged perjury against Frederick Spencer Easton, and His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman ordered another trial at Uanganui on November S3. For tho defence, Easton deposed that • Wright had won 43300 with the horso Stevens, for whioh he had given a cheque for .£2OO. Easton asked several timet) for payment, but Wright said ho was pushed, so ho let him carry on. When Wright was disqualified, Stevens was in full training. This discounted the story that the horse had been turned out in the cemetery paddock, as deposed by witnesses. He had 6worn that tho horse was not brought baok to his place irora Wright, not that the horso was never back on the Moutoa Eskto after the sale to Wright. Ho could not swear to having seen a receipt entitling Trnsk to take over tho horse. Ho had no recollection of such a lease, or that ho hail mado out a lease to Trask until ho wired to tho racing authorities at Christchurch after the hearing of the claim for JSM in the Magistrate's Court. He' had never seen a racing calendar in 'his life until one was produced in Court that day. Under cross-examination, Easton said that his memory had failed after ho lir<J suffered from influenza. Asked sevoral questions as to-his transactions on the turf, he replied:- "After what has happened before this Court on this terriblo charge, and from a mountain that lias grown out of a molehill, I don't know what to say." Two doctors were called, who testified that influenza had in some cases a serious effeot on the memory, and three loading business men testified as to Easton's good character. Accused was admitted to bail-