SUPREME COURT.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 320, 17 April 1875, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

CIIIMINAL SITTINGS. ; ; ; Monday, APEIL 12. v (Before his Honor the Chief Juutice.) ■ In the opening address to the Grand Jury, the Chief Justice, said Mr. Foreman and Gentlemen of; the Grand Jury. As you are aware, since your last assemblage here Mr.- Justice Chapman has retired from office .and Mr. Justice Williams haß had this district assigned to him. I am quite sure you "will expect that. X should consider it my duty to ask your attention to the fact that Mr. Justice Chapman, has, after having served the, country for a very long time in the high office which he has held with satisfaction to those who practised before him, now thought it proper to retire from that office with the provision that has been made for him under the law. Gentlemen, it is now about twelve years since I first commenced to practise in this Court, and very

soon afterwards Mr. Justice Chapman was appointed to this court. You are aware that he came from Victoria where he had practised for some time, and for a time acted as a Judge, and he was able to give us w;hat we very much wanted here practical experience. I believe that, with the exception, of my. friend Mr. Barton, there was not another gentleman practising in this Court who had had much public experience. Gentlemen, you must be aware that Mr. Justice Chapman has discharged his duties with great ability, great perseverence, great patience, and great painstaking. I need scarcely say more; indeed, it scarcely becomes me to express an opinion as to the manner in which he has performed his duties. Une other matter—before we proceed to what may be called the real business ot the day— I mean the loss the country has sustained by the death of Mr. Wil son G-ray. It is, X think, an appropriate occasion on which just to mention .that which I believe the public at large feel to be a serious loss. So much has been said—and properly said —by the public Press, that I think I need no further refer to this matter.

A number of cases of no local interest were disposed of. £ George Johnson formerly employed on a station near Eden Creek, an old man, was brought up on two charges of rape. In reply to a question by his Honor as to whether he was defended.

The prisoner stated that he should have obtained the assistance of counsel had his wife not kept from him the money with which he had intended to obtain such assistance. He had a few questions put on paper; but, as he could neither read nor write, he would feel obliged if some gentleman would kindly submit them for him. He pleaded Not guilty. Mr. Haggitt in opening the case for the Crown, said that the particulars were of the most horrible description that it had ever been the fate of a jury to listen to. Tlie prisoner was married to a woman, a widow at the time he married her, whose name was Brown. She then had three children, two being legitimate, by her first husiand, Brown, and the other illegitimate, and supposed to be the daughter of one M'Lellan. This child was known by the name of Jessie Johnson. The first daughter had a illegitimate child, and left the house ; another of the daughters left the house for reasons which were the subject of another indictment against the prisoner, but the particulars of which he (Mr. Haggitt) was not at present permitted to enter into. The third child mentioned in the indictment remained in the house ; she was to young to know the difference between right and wrong, and too much intimidated by threats used by the prisoner to inform other persons what was being done to her by the prisoner. The mother also, for reasons best known to herself, did not dare to communicate the information she had acquired. One of the sisters (Jane) would tell the jury she knew something strongly corroborative of the evidence of: Jessie Johnson; but she had been prevented from telling what she kneWi partly on the ground of her own ignorance, partly by the. threats of the prisoner, and partly by fear that if she communicated what she knew her mother r would receive at the hands of the prisoner the treatment which she had been subjected to previously, and which had been getting worse year by year, as their married life progressed. Threats were, made that induced the children to believe that if they disclosed anything their lives would not be safe, and it was only when the attention of the neighbors was attracted to the matter that the child was induced, by pointing out to her that her fears were groundless, to go to the police; and subsequently before the Sfesident Magistrate, which resulted in the prisoner being placed upon this and another charge. _ . A.quantity of evidence Was taken. After the Judge had summed up, the jury retired, and, after a very brief, deliberation, returned a verdict that the prisoner was most grossly guilty. Sentence deferred. 1