The Consbiracy Case.

Te Aroha News, Volume XII, Issue 1794, 14 December 1895, Page 2

The Consbiracy Case.

The Dean case continues to provide interesting reading. AMr Goodchap —what’s in a name !—now appears in the drama, and states that Salomons said in his presence that Dean should have been released in consequence of the improper observations of Judge Windeyer during, the trial. There are, of course, two sides to every question, and this matter is no exception to the rule. In a recent issue an Australian journal shows that the abuse of,his judicial power credited to Windeyer—arid it this alleged | abuse which first kindled the fire of public feeling—never occurred at all. ‘By a malign feat of mis-reporting,’ Windeyer Was reported as having coerced a reluctant jury into bringing in a sentence of guilty-ra stern rebuke addressed to the prisoner himself after the verdict had been brought in being, somehow, credited to the speech to the jury before they, had reached their verdict, and an effort to save the jury being locked up all Sunday being in like manner, construed as a high-handed act of compulsion upon that body. Of course this explanation may or may not be true. If it is true, it 'exonerates Judge, Windeyer, but we are inclined to believe that our contemporary is on the wrong \ track, since during all the proceedings of , this wonderful case Windeyer’s friends have, as far as we are aware, being mis-reported. Moreover, if such a serious mistake had been made, it is not likely that the Judge would let it go unchallenged and uncorrected, ana probably the offending reporter 1 , if he really offended, would be seeking another situation by this time. Oh the face of it, therefore, the explanation is possible, but far from probable. After all we h v > heard about this case, no one can wonder at Dean’s impatient exclamination in Court, regretting that he was not ‘ hanged for it at the time. 1 The unfortunate wretch has passed the stage of excitement, and probaply the only feeling that remaing is one of enmu and indifference. A sensation-loving public, however, derives a fiendish sort of joy from the * details,’ and the newspapers reap the profit.; ;