The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1883. THE LONGHURST CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1181, 1 December 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1883. THE LONGHURST CASE.

The Longhurst case has at last been decided. It was referred to His Excellency the Governor, who has read all the evidence and documents connected with it, and has concluded that the prisoner was guilty of the offence for which bo had been convicted. His Excellency has consequently decided not to release the prisoner. The case is one of the most extraordinary on the records of crime in New Zealand. It is so long since it commenced nor that most people have only a very imperfect idea of what Longhurst’s crime really was. So far as we can recollect nowj the proceedings commenced about three years ago with the arrest/ and conviction

of Longhurst, for having committed rape on a child of tender years named Adams. Subsequently the girl Adams and her father were arrested together, and charged with having conspired to obtain the conviction of Longhurst. The case was heard before Judge Richmond, evidence of Longhurst’s innocence and deliberate conspiracy on the part of the father and daughter was adduced, and the jury brought them in guilty. We remember reading the report of the proceedings as it appeared in the Wei lington papers at the time, and the impression it left on our mind was that Longhurst was guilty. There is no doubt but that the evidence in his favor was very strong perhaps strong, enough to justify his friends in doing all they could to obtain his release. , Longhurst had been the benefactor of Adams. For a year ;or two be kept Adams and bis family in his own bouse, aud it was only when be wanted him to remove out of it that'the prosecution was commenced. There were several points strongly in favor of the prisoner, many of which we have only very indistinct recollections at present, but the medical testimony indicated too forcibly that his. guilt - was more than probable. However,. Longhutst’s friends got a doctor who explained the matter to the satisfaction of the jury, and so Adams ana his daughter were convicted of conspiracy. Of course. such a verdict was. tantamount’ to ; ’ affirming that Longhurst bad been suffering imprisonment,, innocently, but a new difficulty arose. The lawyer who defended Adams raised a point, of law to the effect that the girl Adams was ' too young to conspire with her father, and this resulted in the conviction being quashed. It was held that as the girl was too ; young the father could not have' conspired ‘ alone, because there must be more than one person to make up a conspiracy. Thus, though found guilty by the jury, Adams and his daughter had to be allowed tc escape scot free . But Longhurst’s friends did not stop here. They urged that the conviction of Adams proved the innocenc e of Longhurst, even though the legal machinery broke down. The case has ever since been agitated. It was brought before Parliament, and finally submitted to His Excellency the Governor, who arrived at the decision indicated above.