YESTERDAY'S TELEGRAMS

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1035, 19 October 1877, Page 2

YESTERDAY'S TELEGRAMS

■ [eeutee’s special telegrams to the PRESS AGENCY.] The Situation in France. The Avalanche Inquiry. Defeat of Circassian Insurgents. Indian Famine Belief Fund. Bombay, October 10. Repressive measures by the French Ministry are increasing. London papers are detained for examination. M. Gambetta is again to be prosecuted. After two days’ violent storms, the bridges at Sis! ova and Nicopolis have become impassable by vehicles. London, October 10. Three millions of the Indian four per cent loan have been subscribed at 101}. The tenders amounted to four and a quarter millions. The inquiry into the loss of the Avalanche lias been concluded. The Commissioners blamed the Avalanche as being partially responsible for the collision, and censured Captain Lockhart of the Forest, for inadequate care and want of promptitude. Mr Gladstone intends to visit Ireland. The San Francisco and Queensland mails have been delivered. The Indian Famine Relief Fund amounts to £350,000, Arrived—Margaret Galbraith. Bombay, October 13, The Empress of Russia is expected at Bucharest on the 19th instant. Four thousand insurgent Circassians were defeated in Daghestan, with heavy loss. Twenty-five horses ran for the Czarowitch Stakes. Bellarius, first ; Belphcebe, second.

INTEKPKOVINOIAL.

[UEK PRESS AGENCY.] Hislop v. Mackay. Prosecution for Perjury. Eire in Dunedin. Auckland, October IS. The Steam Packet Company’s steamer Star of the South has been sold to Mr Houghton, Dunedin. The other vessels will be sold at auction unless previously disposed of. Subscriptions for the Indian Famine Relief Fund are coming in freely. Nai’ieb, October 18. A movement was commenced yesterday to collect a fund to erect a monument to the late Sir Donald McLean. The affair has been well commenced. It was inaugurated by a meeting of Highlandmen at Kaikora. About twenty-five were present, and over £SOO was collected in the room. Wellington, October 18. Up to 8 o’clock, the Cabinet had not decided as to the petition regarding the liberation of Mackay, but will consider the matter shortly. Oamaru, October 18. In the Resident Magistrate’s Court to-day, Robert Keenan, for keeping a disorderly house, was lined £ls, and on a second charge of sly grog selling he was fined £25. The Magistrate, on the conclusion of this case, ordered Keenan to be prosecuted for perjury. Dunedin, October IS. A lire broke out to-day in a building at the rear of Court’s Hotel, and which was jointly occupied by Messrs McClenahan and Co., Gunn and Ross, and Ding, Harris and Co. The latter firm estimate their loss at £3OO. The loss of property is considerable, but no accurate estimate can yet be formed. It is stated that eight or nine jurors were for finding Proudfoot guilty, and that the Remainder were for acquittal,

[from the correspondent of the press.]

Proudfoot’s Trial. The Jury DischargedDunedin, October 18. The interest in Proudfoot’s case exceeded that in Reed’s. The Court, all yesterday and to-day, up to the jury being discharged, was crowded to excess. Mr Denuiston’s speech produced, a powerful impression in the Court. Referring to the conduct of Dr. Murphy lie said :—Hardly two hours elapsed after this confidence was reposed in him when he blurts it out to another man, and that man incidentally related it to the accused. That first act might have been a blunder—a gross and not a culpable blunder—but not another hour passed before Dr Murphy was on the road in a cab to the house of the accused. Could that be carelessness P Could they have any but one opinion as to the gross scandalous perfidy of that conduct P If they had any doubt as to what it meant they must mark what followed. An appointment had been made to see the girl on the following afternoon, but next morning he left in hot haste for the prosecutrix’s house for fear the girl might be placed in the hands of some more honest adviser. That must be the conclusion. He was not putting this as against the accused. The prisoner had not been connected with it, and it might have been the act of an injudicious friend, bub he referred to it as affecting the credibility of Dr. Murphy. On Thursday morning, after he had taken another medical man tap with him, still without stating his opinion, this member of a respectable profession acts in the capacity of a go-between, and offers money to conceal and hush up this affair. This, too, he professed to do in the interests of the girl. Next morning he had thrown off that mask, and assumed that of the interests of justice, and was found prompting counsel for defence, and yet they were told they were not to discredit his medical evidence, and that they were going too far if they proceeded to stigmatise it as unreliable. —Mr Smith: He may have passed the bounds of propriety. —He (Mr Dennistor) considered Dr Murphy an infamous go-between, and lie must bo condemned by every respectable man and woman, The treachery of this man prevented them from having an earlier examination made by an honest physician. The Judge, referring to Dr Murphy’s evidence, said his conduct had been properly made the subject of comment. Putting the most charitable construction upon it, it was the most unhappy blundering of which a. professional man could be guilty. The foreman, after the jury had been out three hours, asked if they could convict of an attempt at rape. The Judge answered that such a verdict would be illogical, and he would be sorry to see the jury bring it in. At ten o’clock this morning, on hearing that there was no probability of agreement, his Honor said if the minority was small the duty of the latter was to consider whether, in the circumstances, they were justified in setting up their judgments against the rest. At mid-day the jury were discharged. There ensued a long discussion as to whether a second trial should he by special jury or nob. The prosecution strongly urged a common jury, saying if it were objected to they would consent to a change of venue. They opposed a special jury on the ground that the names would be known a fortnight before the trial. Mr Smith contended that there was greater reason now for a special jury, and the Judge thought the same, fearing there might be a mistrial otherwise.—lt is generally understood that the jury had at the outset agreed to take a verdict of 'three-fourths whichever way it was. On returning into Court for the first time, eight were for conviction, and that position remained unaltered.