An Extraordinary Case.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 219, 20 September 1904, Page 4

An Extraordinary Case.

A trial for conspiracy, heard at Sydney on August 22nd, presented somo extraordinary features. Norman Manly Ross, Rebecca Ross, James Ferrow and John Wise were indicted for having conspired together to prevent the duo course of justice. The charge a rose out of evidenc« given at the trial of N. M. Ross for the theft of £l4 from Louisa McNaniara, whom he had promised to marry. Ross boarded at the house of McN a mara's parents, and the girl gave birth to a child of which she declared him to be the father. Ross, however, refuted to marry her, but he became short of money, and made a proposal to her father that he would go through the marriage ceremony with her if he were advanced £l4 0 r £ls. An agreement to-this effect was drawn Up, but McNamara would not pay over tae money till he was put in possession of his daughter's marriage lineu. This waa resented 1)Y Ross, but he said he would marry the girl om condition that brought the money with her, avid handed it over to him immediately after the ceremony. Ross and the girl McNamara went to several matrimonial agencies, but the cei'arnonv was never performed, and it was ai-lqgc-d that Ross's sister Rebecca h a d spread the report that he was already niarritd'. It waa after making a fruitless round of the matrimonial agencies that Ross and the girl retired to Marrickville, wliere, it was alleged, Ross snatched the money out of her hanida and decamped. At the trial Ross swore that I«uisa McNamara gave him the money at the office of the Australian Woman. Rebecca Ross corroborated the evidence of her brother concerning the money having been paid over to him by Louisa McNam a ra at witness' ollice in Hunter-street. I n reply to the Crown Prosecutor, witness said that Ferrow w a s her brother-in-law. Did you object to your brother's marriage on moral grounds'?—l objected in this way ; that if he were the father of Miss McNamara's child he should marry her, hut that If she had been intimate with other men he should not.

Hare you taken your sister's husband from her ?—No, she still has htm.

In crossNsiamin a ti o n, after shelterins herself under the plea that she might Incriminate herself, she acknowledged that she herself had ]«ul a baby, tat denied that Ferrow w a s its father, though It was given bis name. She had the child loft on the doorstep of the Australian Woman office, so that she might ultimately got him, instead of him being boarded out with a stranger. Pi nne d to the child b clothes was a note oddrecsfid t„ the editor of the Australian Woman, l n which the writer, among other things, »aid • " it freaks my heart to part with him, but I can't keep him .to starve. When I Saw the children's hospital picture i I . D y° u f PaP Ol- * thought you must be fond of children. If you are good to my baby, I am sure God will bless you, and some day I may be able to repay you.* TWb note, which witness admitted having written, was sent to the newspaper, with the following addition "No one felt disposed to hand the child over to the police, so it was finally decided to give him a temporary home at the office, Various persons aigreeing to ta*© caarge of him in turn." All accused were fo Ure d g-uilty. The jury maida a reconunomdatio'n for mercy in favour 0 1 Rebecca Ross and a strong recommendation for niercy in the caso of Wise. At the request of tho prisoners sentence was deferred till the following. Monday, in order that tihcy might call witnesses regarding their uharactor. „ 0 " Monday, the 29th ult., Judge Heydon passed senttiico on the four poraons convicted the week previous of having conspired to prevent tho course of justice. Nonnan Manly' itoss, who is undergoing sentence for theft, recoivod on tvddit.i r*n a l twclvo months' imprisonment, with hard labour ; James Ferrow to two and ahalf years, with hard labour ; and John Wise to nine months, with hard labour. R o sg and Ferrow appealed to tho judge to reduce the sentence on tha femalo by ono momth, so that she might be treated as a secondclass prisoner. The appeal was refused.