MISTAKEN CLEMENCY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 226, 30 January 1911, Page 5

MISTAKEN CLEMENCY

"WOMEN TREMBLE WITH FEAR." By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London, January 27. General Botha's sister, who is now in England, states that South African women will tremble with fear at the consequences of Lord Gladstone's reprieve of a native. Such crimes, she said, were more common than the English public was aware of.

FURTHER REPRIEVES. Capetown, January 27. Lord Gladstone has reprieved four Rhodesian natives condemned to death for murder, and three for the tribal custom of killing twins.

LORD GLADSTONE'S EXPLANATION.

' Received 29, 5.5 p.m. Capetown, January 28. The facts concerning the reprieved native show that the white woman and four children were living at TJmtali, the husband being absent. A powerful native, who had previously been in the employ of the family, entered by the window at midnight, and was found in the bedroom, where a prolonged struggle took place. Afterwards the native again entered the house, but the bedroom was barricaded. He had been

drinking. 1 Lord Gladstone, replying to Rhodesian protests, states that, after reviewing the evidence, he commuted the sentence of death to servitude for life, because there was a distinct doubt, and it was impossible to conclude that rape had actually been committed. Lord Gladstone's view is fortified by the judges' opinion, that they would have preferred a verdict of assault with intent. Lord Gladstone concluded that the crime was unpremeditated, and that the accused presumably had entered to get food and drink.