A HORRIBLE CHARGE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1125, 24 July 1883, Page 3

A HORRIBLE CHARGE.

A. scene took place in Court during the trial of some Jews in Vienna accused of having murdered a young Christian girl in order to obtain her blood for use in a religious ceremony. The trial has attracted much attention. The principal witness was twenty-four years old, and son of the chief prisoner, Joseph Scharf. After detailing the manner of the crime, &c, how they held the victum so cs to lose none of the blood, the boy was crossexamined by hi 9 father, and the general character of the trial is given in a verbatim passage of this examination as contained in a despatch published on June 25th : —Prisoner —• Look at me in the face, scorpion.' President—' Do not insult the witness. I understand your motive, but behave properly before your Judge.' Prisoner—' Do you know me.' Witness —'Yes, thou art my father.' Prisoner- ' What didst thou tell the officer at first Y Witness— 1 Nothing, because you had forbidden me to speak of the corpse.' Prisoner—'Thou wretched boy, dost thou know what a corpse is V Witness—Yes, I do; it is a dead body.' Then, when I tell thee what thou sayst is false I tell a lie?' Witness—' Yes ; you are a liar.' Prisoner— * Thou infamous liar! Do I deserve on false evidence to be hanged in the market plaoe?' Witness—' That is no ooncein of mine. Ido not wish to see the again.' Prisoner—' Why doest thou address me as thou art doing ] Witness— 1 Do you expect me to say your Grace.' Toleration by the Court of such a scene as the general oharaoter of the proceedings here exhibited has provoked the bitterest feeling amongst the Jews. Young Scharf is considered a lunatic by several correspondents of the London Press.