A SPITEFUL BROTHER

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1378, 13 February 1905, Page 3

A SPITEFUL BROTHER

SCATHING COMMENT BY JUDGE EDWARDS.

X'Pcr Press Association.) . Auckland, lost night. A cage oamo boforo Mr Justice Edwards a 6 the Supromo Court, in which ono brother charged another with forging and Uttering a deed of agreement at Wkaagaroi. The accused was Goorgo MoOonnod, who p>aaaod not guilty. After hearing ovidonce his Honor summed up, and said this was a most lamentable and extraordinary- ease. It was exceedingly lamentable to find one brother prosecutmg another on a charge of forgery. By no way of reasoning could it bo oonoeived to bo the duty of a brother to take such a step as this. It might by an extreme view bo held to be his duty to inform tho polioe, but in this ease they found Bobert MoConnell at vory groat expense to oonduot tho wl°' Bnt *. brought him down hero from Whangarei press tho case in evory possible way against his brother. Presumably it was at his oxpouse. Certainly ho hoped it was not at tho expense of the State. In all his'Honor’s oxperipboe in a court of law, he had never before seen suoh a proceeding on tho part of one brother against another, and ho hopod'not soon to see it again. It certainly " showed very great spite on tho part of the prosecutor, and deliberate intention on his part to' oru3h nis brother in aoivil suit which was pending, and the circumstance must undoubtedly make the jury view tho action with a very considerable amount of suspicion. The story which the accused man George McConnell had told-in the witness box was, he would confidently assure tho jury from his judioial experience, an exceedingly probable one, and one borne out by documents and by tho story of their preparation. He had absolutely no hesitation in telling the jury that the thought the prisoner onght to be' acquitted. The jury, without retiring, found the prisoner not guilty, and he was discharged.