AN INVITATION "TO QUIT."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 31 October 1907, Page 2

AN INVITATION " TO QUIT."

TIIE OPUNAKE -TAKRIXO" VICTIM. PLEADS GUILTY TO I'OIIGING A TELEGRAM. TOUR MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT. An indirect outcome of the recent notorious Opunake tarring and feathering case occupied the attention of Ik' Police Court at Stratford yesterday (.Messrs. -f. Leydon, S. Ward, and 0. D. Side, .l.'sP., ])residing), when Edward Jlarinan Hill was charged with having at Opunake on (ith May, 11)07, delivered a telegram to a public official for transniission, signed with a fictitLus name. It may lie recollected that some considerable time prior to the Opunake ease llill was horsewhipped by a llawer.i resident for his unwelcome attentions to the latter's wife. Hill took actijn for assault, but lost his ease, the Magistrate commending tlvo liawera man ,V' his conduct. It is alleged, however, that the thrashing failed as a lesson to Hill, ar.d be overstepiied the mark so far as to bring him into the clutches of the law on the present cliarge. On Oth May the lady above referred to was in Opunake, and Hill sent a telegram, under a fictitious name, to her husband, and reflecting on her conduct with the accused —Hill.

Accused pleaded guilty to the charge. Detective Boddnm, who prosecuted, produced the original telegram and the copy received at Ilawera. He stat.id that the present offence was in no way connected with the Opunake barring and feathering case, hiving been committed some two months prior to that event. The lady mentioned by [Till in the telegram happened to be in Opunake on the day the telegram was sent, and although there was absolutely no truth in the contents, it caused the husband mneh worry and anxiety. Ac:used, he said. was practically an outcast from society, sluir.ncd alike by employers and employees. Replying to Mr. Sole, Detective Boddam said accused was perfectly sane. Hill was endeavoring to explain whv he sent the telegram, when he, was stopped by Sir. Leydon, who stated that he was only further reflecting on the character of the person concerned. In delivering judgment, Mr. Lcydna referred to the seriousness of the case, but said the Bench had decided to deal leniently with accused, who had, no doubt, had a trying time recently. The advice of the Bench to accused was that, when he was released from gaol, he should leave the Dominion.

Sentence of four months' imprisonment was passed. Accused was brought to the New Plymouth gaol last night to serve his "stretch."