The Dean Case.

Manawatu Herald, 28 September 1895, Page 2

The Dean Case.

DECLARED GUILTY AFTER ALL.

From Sydney news comes of a startling development in the Dean case. For a few days past vague rumours were in circulation relative to a confession by Dean, but the At-torney-General, the fion J. H. Want, when questioned in the Council, declined to answer. Later on, however, Mr Want promised to inform the Council what he knew, and to lay the documents on the table. Mr Want referred to the unpleasant position in which he had been placed through having undertaken the prosecution of Dean, of whose., guilt he was certain from the firat. After the finding of the Royal Commission, on whose recommendation Dean was released, he felt uneasy, but he received a communication some time afterwards from the Hon Sir Julian Salomons, M.L.C., of a private nature, stating that he need not be uneasy, as Dean was guilty. He wrote to Sir J. Salomons, pointing out the position in which this placed him, and! stating that \t was his absolute duty to 'divulge what he knew. __ of Sir J. "Salomons on UKftabTCr*** Sir Julian Salomons states in this document th*t in June Dean was.released on the finding of the Royal Commission, and on July 16tn a paragraph appeared in the Daily Telegraph of Sydney whioh Mr Meagher thought reflected on him in regard to his defence of Dean. Mr Meaghec cons 'ilW- Sir Julian Salomons as to itsi-lib&ious nature, and confided to him that his olient was really guilty of the attempt to poison his wife. Sir J. Salomons then said that he knew Dean was guilty, but asked how could Meagher speak so positively.

The latter said that while Dean was in gaol he (Mr Meagher) in* formed him that the police had discovered the chemist who had sold poison to Dean.

Accused on hearing the. statement, was much agitated, and nearly fell off his seat. .He then confessed that he had committed the crime,,; anji had used both strychnine and arsenic to get rid of his wife.

Dean added that if the j>olice had arrested him the day before they did,; they would have found poison pn him, but this he had burned the day before he was taken into custody. ' '

During the hearing of the case, the chemist who sold the poison was curiously enough never ' asked if ha had sold such to Dean.

After Meagher'a statement, Sir . Julian. Salomons requested tim$ f to' consider, and after, consulting ' a , member of the profession confident; dally, asked Meagher for the sake' of Dean's wife— pointing out that Dean could not ifl^vbfr ohiirgißd i-TTith ,4h§ crime," although he might have to leave the country — to make public Meagher then niferced to atftte-

mente in the press that, he had floated into Parliament on;- the strength qf the. Dean cast, and said be epjrfnpt mAi M known. ' 4 * ' * "^ <B *?^^ Sir Julian it fcii duty to mat* tUt letter known.