THE CHARGE AGAINST LORD St. LEONARDS.
Commenting on the case against Lord St. Leonards, the Daily News of May. 24th, says ; Yesterday Lord St.: Leonards, in spite of a very able defence of soma rather weak points in the cas« of prosecution,,, wss convicted, at the Central Criminal Court of assaulting a maidservant. Taking the evidence as a whole, the jury could have, found no other verdict. The character of the prosecutrix was not unblemished, but her evidence was corroborated, while no witnesses were called 'forth*' other side. The offence would probably have attracted little notice if it had not been committed, by a peer. No difference had to be made on that account in the mode of procedure. J "The/'right of a peer to be tried before the House of Lords if it be sitting, or by ; jury of its members if it be not, is confined to felonies, and the offence of which Lord St. Leonards has been convicted is a misdemeanour. The case was not even put into therjudge's list"at the" Old Bailey, but came before the Recorder, who presides over trials of minor importance. Thus no undesirable prominence was 'given to a 'disgraceful ; and ignoble crim\ an act.of low, unmanly brutality, fur which drunkenness was the sale and tlie most insufficient palliation. Most people will cordially agr,ee/with two re- • marks which fell. from. Mr Edward Clarke, m-his powerful speech for the defence. They will hope'with him that no such case will again be tried until I tire bill allowing accused persons to give evidence has been passed, and they will | regret that disgrace 'should have bean" brought upon "-"'a-name that will be honored , and respected by English lawyers so long as that law is administered, and its traditiuis remain." It H useless: to moralise upon the acandalous conductjof a Lord Chancellor's grnndson, who might at least have learned to behave like a man. Tliere are people like Lord St. Leonards in every rank' of life, and hereditary peerage will not. alter humai^ nature.
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Temuka Leader, Issue 1211, 31 July 1884, Page 1
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337THE CHARGE AGAINST LORD St. LEONARDS. Temuka Leader, Issue 1211, 31 July 1884, Page 1
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