THE SUPREME COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2109, 7 February 1908, Page 2

THE SUPREME COURT.

SITTINGS AT WELLINGTON.

SHERIDAN ACQUITTED

Press Association

WELLINGTON. Feb. At tho Supreme Court this afternoon, Edward Leydon, a letter-car-rier-, was found guilty of stealing a postal packet containing jewellery, and was 6euetnced to 18 months’ imprisonment.

James Alalacliy Sheridan was arraigned on an indictment charging him with the manslaughter of John AlcNally at Wellington on 3rd January, 1908. The evidence was mainly on tho lines of that telegraphed at tho time of the occurrence and at the inquest.

Two witnesses said they had . seen deceased iii a very drunken state being assisted by Sheridan to a place where he could sit down, and one witness said he saw deceased fall and strike his head heavily on the footpath. The defence was that deceased’s death was really accidental. Sheridan, giving evidence on his own behalf, said that he tried to put -UcNally in a place of safety ’while he was drunk. McNally struck him several times ’and made use of had language towards him. He went to leave McNally, who. followed him, and struck him again, and it. was while endeavoring to protect himself from his blows that he hit deceased, knocking him down. He had not so much struck AlcNally as he had endeavored to ward off the attack on himself. After a retirement of 15 minutes the jury 'returned a verdict of not guilty. ‘