A PROSECUTION FOR BLASPHEMY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1093, 11 May 1883, Page 3

A PROSECUTIO N FOR BLASPHEMY.

The trial of the three i’e'i n lants, Foote, Ramsay, and Kemp, the editor, proprietor, md midislier of a weekly paper entitled '!i e Freethinker, for writing and publishing b'ispbem oils libels, was .concluded at the Central Criminal Court on the sth March. Mr Justice North, in summing up, defined Hie lei/al meaning of blasphemy as being any contumelious reproach or profane scoffing aii» nat the Christi in religion or the Roly and any act exposing the Holy Scriptures and the Christian religion to ridicule, con'rrnpt, nr derision. The jury had nothing wh itever to do with the 4 mslion whether the prosecution had been wisely or unwisely commenced. Toe jury, afer a brief consultation, and without leaving the box, le'urued a verdict of ‘Guilty’' against all the defendants. Mr Joa'ice North, addressing Foote, add : • Foote, you have been found guilty by the jury of publishing three blasphemous libels This trial' has been to me a very painfu’ one, as 1 regard it as extremely sad to find a person to whom God has given such evi dent ability and intelligence should have chosen to prostitute his talents to the service of the Devil in the way it has been done under your auspices. I consider this paper ‘otally different, from any of the works you have brought before me in everyway whatever. The sentence 1 now pass upon yon is that yon be imprisoned for twelve calendar months.” Immediately upon the passing of this sentence a scone of the ■; rcatest excitement and tumult ensued in the gallery, which was fu : l of the prisonet"s friends. Rising together they burst forth into a storm of hissing, groaning, and derisive cries. Foote brought about a momentary lull, as. looking towards the Bench. hj« cried, •* My Lord, I thank you ; it is worthy of your creed,” Imt immediately afterwards th« uproar became worse than ever, several calling out “ Christians, indeed,” and Judge Jefferies ” The Judge or.iered the gallery to lie summarily cle-ue 1, which was done af ; er some trouble. Ramsay was then sentenced to nine months’, and Kemp to three months’ imprisonment. CLttell, the newspaper agent, who had been convicted of selling the Christmas number of the Freethinker, was then put into the dock to receive sentence. He was orlered to enter into his own recognisances in £2OO, anil to find one surety in £IOO, to come up for judgment.