A COURT SCENE.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 889, 12 May 1903, Page 3

A COURT SCENE.

AUCKLAND’S RICHARDSON AS MISCHIEF-MAKER.

A TILT WITH JUDGE CONOLEV. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. U. Richardson, charged with having published a defamatory libel, created a scene in the Supreme Court this morning. lie stated that two constables bad sent .Judge Conolly a copy oi accused’s newspaper containing comment, on IDs Honor’s decision in l.lte Bowes divorce ease, which would prejudice IDs Honor in trying flic present ease if he were human. All' .Justice Conolly said lie hail not: seen the. article referred to, and no one had attempted to Idas him. Accused : j want an absolutely unbiassed trial.

IDs Honor : Do you say that yin will not gel- an unbiassed trial at my bands 7 Accused : I want to be quite sure 7 His Honor: How 7 Accused : By having a Judge on the Bench whom I have not crilicis(M * Uiink I will be able to show you have shown some Idas. Accused said that Judge Conolly, in his charge to the Grand .Jurv, commented on the fact that the newspapers of the colony had escaped the Jaw til libeD lie had said the newspapers were as a rule conducted by discreet editors and proprietors, and that they did not publish libels. Accused said that, lie visited Judge Conolly’s residence to see his coachman on political matters. One of ids (.Judge Oonolly's; daughters—one Judge Conolly (warmly) : I won’t have my daughter's name mentioned in this Court.

Accused said that lie Would mention her name in this Court. His Honor (more warmly); You shall not do so, and 1 shall not permit it. This is most disgraceful. Accused persisted, whereupon Judge Conolly said that he would have accused taken below and locked up if he insulted his daughter. Accused stated that he would state Unit. lie dropped the reference to Hie .Judge’s daughter, hut persisted in reading from a newspaper [despite libs Honor’s protest. That was irregular, and His Honor ordered the police lo lock accused in the cells until he was in a better frame of mind. The police thereupon seized accused at His Honor’s order, and took ilie paper from accused. Accused asked ; Do you call this justice 7

Richardson said lie would go below until the day he died so Jong as lie got a fair trial, lie twitted the Judge with having his decision ill the Lewes ease reversed. IDs Honor said that he had made a mistake in a point of law. Accused said the Bowes ease showed liis Honor was a man of. strong peculiarities. Why did His Honor wire with reference to the ease ? Judge Conolly ; Because it is my duty.; Accused’s plea was then taken, and the. Crown Prosecutor was ready to reply, but accused asked for a remand to further prepare iiis argument. The ease was remanded accordingly

William Richardson and William John Bell, who appeared at the •Supreme Court on Wednesday in .connection with 1 lie charge of publishing defamatory libels of Wil’iam John Baker, licensee of the Alexandra Hotel, again came before the Court on Thursday morning, the cases having been adjourned by Mr .Justice Conolly from tlie previous day, in order to give the accused an opportunity of preparing their pleas. The accused Richardson, on being called upon, read a lengthy plea, the effect of which was:—(!) That lie was not guilty ; (2) that if the. alleged defamatory matter was published by him, it was true, ami for the public benefit ; (3) 'that the publication was for the public good, for the reason that (he public were deeply affected by matters pertaining to the management of hotels, and that it. was the duty of the publisher of a newspaper to make the public aware of such matters as those referred to in tiie alleged libels. 'j'lie lion. J. A. T’ole, Crown Prosecutor, said he was not certain whether the pica, with the exception of the first portion—viz., “ not guilty,” was one that- could be accepted. His Honor said that Mr Tole had the right, or reply to t,lie plea, and he adjourned the matter until Saturday morning for. this purpose. He also said the ease would not he taken before Monday morning. His Honor released accused on his own recognisance, hut warned him that lie must not write or publish anything regarding the ease before tiie trial, as he would he liable to punishment if lie did so. Accused; Certainly, Your Honor. His Honor, in answer to accused, said lie could not grant the application for the issue of free subpoenas for witnesses, as required by the ac-

cuscd. ~ , , Accused said that, this matter had already cost him pounds, and he had to go round begging for money to assist, him in his defence. As the Government had got, such a Jot oi money to the good—about U-BHI.IIOO, they were told—lie thought his application for free subpoenas might be granted. , , , His Honor said he did not, know whether the Government had such a lot of money to the good or not, but if so, it was not in his hands. Accused ; Will you grant half the number. Your Honor? IDs .Honor, said he could not grant any number. William John Bell, the other accused, read a plea similar to that read by Richardson, and the matterway dealt with in the same way, by adioiii iiinent till .Saturday. . Accused was allowed to go on his own recognisance, His. Honor giving him a similar warning to that given Lo Richardson. Accused repealed his application foi flee subpoenas for witnesses, >*ut this was also refused by IDs Iton-i.