SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 August 1920, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

TARANAKI SESSIONS. murder charge thrown out. The quarterly sessions of the Taranaki Supreme Court opened at JNew Plymouth yesterday morning. His Honor -Mr. Justice Salmond presided. The following Grand Jury 'was empanelled:— E. W. Wheatley, W> T. Hookham, G. M. Eraser, T. Eurlong, l'\ 'H. Jackson, f,. F. 'Laurent, .T. D. Sole, J. Austin. J. S. Comiett, J?. S. Johns, J. Corriga.n, l'\ 11. Robertson, A. R. Gibson, ,D. Penman, R. t>. Ellis, H. J. Price, t». E. Hoffmann, J. R. Cruiekshalik, T. C. lust, R. H. George, H. B. Lepper, W. H. Beadle, Waddle, Mr. List was chosen foreman.

The criminal list was as follows: Mary Oyston: (1) Alleged murder; (2) alleged concealment of birth. George Payne: Alleged sheepstealing. Howard William Snow, alias Herbert Snow: Alleged theft. Albert Edward Magon, Charles Magon, and Frederick Magon: (1) i Alleged arson; (2) conspiring to obtain money by fraud; (3) abetting to commit arson.

These cases formed the subject of His Honor's charge to the Grand Jury, in which he pointed <jut that there were five indictments, two of which were against the same person. The first case to be considered was a charge of murder against a young girl named Mary Oyston. who was charged with the murder of her newly-born baby. There was a second charge against this girl, that of the offence known as the concealment of birth. There was no direct evidence of the baby's death beyond the actual fact that it was found dead on the day of its birth. It was for the Grand Jury to decide if the mother had killed the child, whether unlawfully or not, and if there was reasonable suspicion that foul play was done they must return a true bill. His Honor pointed out that in a charge of murder there was an alternative count of manslaughter, and touched on the aspects of these charges. Thf case of alleged sheep-stealing did not, Ilis Honor thought, call for. any special comments, while the charge of theft was a simple case of a somewhat common nature. A more difficult case, however, was, presented by the charges against the three Magon brothers. His Honor reviewed the various charges, remarking that several alternative counts were provided, but he thought the Grand .Jury would probably be content to leave the matter in the hands of the common jury. GRAND JURY'S FINDINGS. For' nearly three-quarters of an hour tlie Grand Jnrv considered the charge of murder against Mary Oyston, and returned "no bill." The jury then retired to consider the seeoftd indictment of concealing birth, and a few minutes later a true bill was returned on this count. '

True bills were brought in on all counts against the three Magon brothers, and also against George Payne and Howard William Snow. .