Dean Declared Guilty.

Opunake Times, Volume III, Issue 130, 1 October 1895, Page 3

Dean Declared Guilty.

Sydney, September 26. A startling development has taken place in the Dean case to-night. For a few days past vague rumors were in circulation relative to a confession by Dean, but the AttorneyGeneral, the Hon 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.

This evening 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 first. ■ After the finding of the Eoyal’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.O. of a private nature, stating that he need not be uneasy, as Dean was guilty. Ho wrote to Sir J. Salomons, pointout the position in which this placed him, and stating that it was the duty of Sir Julian to disclose all he knew of the matter.

The latter replied that he had consulted the Chief Justice, Sir F. M. Darley, who agreed that it was his absolute duty to divulge what he knew.

Mr Want then laid the statement of Sir J. Salomons on the table. Sir Julian Salomons states in this document that in June Dean was released on the finding cf the Royal Commission, and on July 16th a paragraplkappeared in the Daily Telegraph of Sydney which Mr Meagher thought reflected on him in regard to the defence of Dean.

. Mr Meagher consulted Sir Julian Salomons as to its libellous nature, and confided to him that his c’ient 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 Mr Meagher speak so positively.

The latter said that while Dean was in gaol he (Mr Meagher) informed 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 committed the crime, and had used both strychnine and arsenic to get rid of his wife.

Dean added that if the police had arrested him the day before they did, they would have found poison on 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 whether he had sold such to Dean.

After Meagher’s statement, Sir Julian Salomons requested time to consider, and after consulting a member of the profession confidentall.y, asked Meagher for the sake of Dean’s wife—pointing out that Dean could not now be charged with the crime, although he might have to leave the country—to make public his knowledge. Meagher then referred to statements in the press that he had floated into Parliament on the strength of the Dean case, and said he could not make his knowledge known.

Sir Julian Salomons then deemed it his duty to make the matter known. Sydney, September 29.

Meagher, interviewed, said Salomons’ statements were utterly and absolutely without foundation. He does not regard them as serious, but the machinations of a crafty or disordered brain. The only alternative of stating Salomons concocted the confession, he says, was to find him not guilty on the groupds of insanity. Dean, Meagher says, never made any confession and maintained his innocence throughout. Meagher says he firmly believes in Dean’s iunocence. Salomons had booked a passage to Melbourne, but has now decided to stay pending Meagher’s statement to the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, and, should he think it necessary, will reply in the Council. Meagher hints that there will be some peculiar revelations when he talks. *