Criminal Libel Case.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2577, 11 April 1877, Page 3

Criminal Libel Case.

G. M. Eeed V. E. A. A. Sheebin

The action of criminal libel, brought by Mr George McGullagli Beed, formerly of the Auckland Star, against E. A. A. Sherrin, for some time engaged on the Echo newspaper, arose out of a letter written by fclierrin to the Waitangi Trir bune. The libel was of a very gross and ruffianly character, and the defendant made no attempt to support the truth of the villainous charges he had preferred against Mr Beed. The writer endeavoured in the letter to bring out various supposed resemblances between Mr Seed and Dr Carr, the mesmerist. The gravamen of the libel lay in the first portion of the letter, which read as follows: — " The Eev. George M'Cullagh Eeed is supposed to have something to do with the editorial inspiration of the " Guardian" newspaper, Dunediu. The supposition may be true or otherwise— Qui en sabe ? At all events, the rev. gentleman is ah able man. ife is more ;heis a religious man. He is, or seeks to be, or has been, a pillar of the Scotch Presbyterian Church. In animal instinct the rev. gentleman is not unlike the Eev. Mr Thomas Guthrie Carr. The one gentleman has as much right to the sanctimonious prefix as the ot}ok. They are both birds of prey. They Both came from over the sea. When the Newcastle doctor came to Melbourne, and had expended the whole of his funds, and had exhausted his credit, he adopted the charlatan business, and went in for mesmerism and lecturing. When the Presbyterian clergyman came to Auckland from Brisbane, he borrowed the sum of £4, 105, and went into partnership with a man called Brett—a man more objectionable than himself—and started the Auck» land Evening Star. The journal obtained a notoriety, and achieved a monetary success. It was, without doubt —under the Scotch parson's regime—the most lewd of nil New Zealand journals. Its inspired, unutterable productions no modest journalist can notice. But the journal paid. Another item of resemblance between the cleric and the charlatan obtrudes itself on our recollection. It has been frequently stated that the teacher of the Gospel Jn Queensland was unfrocked for the seduction of a girl of immature age. There is no truth in the assertion whatever. The girl was well up in her teens and solicitous. So they say about his alter ego the mesmeric doctor. But everyone who knows ..the "bump" reader is aware t)f the grbssness of the charge. Woman is his divinity and to her shrine he constantly does homage. His physique and piety preclude the supposition. Gallio like, he cares not for these things." George M'Cullagh Eeed deposed : I am editor and part proprietor of the Otago Guardian newspaper. I know the handwriting of the manuscript produced. It is accused's. I am familiar with his 'handwriting. The contents of: that manuscript are. identical with the letter in the Tribune of the-14th instant, with the exception of the cross-heading and signature. I have.read the article. The statement therein that I am an unfrocked minister is untrue. I never was unfrocked. Neither was I subjected to any i church discipline whatever. There was never such ia charge laid.against me as is alleged in the letter in any church court to my knowledge. I refer to the charge of seduction. Had such a charge been laid it; would have been. = without the align test shadow of foundation. I was a minister of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland, ■ and I am at the present time a minister or the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. I resigned my charge and retired from the ministry in Queensland for the purpose of entering the Parliament of Queensland. I was elected, and sat in the Queensland Parliament. I never heard of any of the charges mentioned being laid against my moral character, until I read it in the Waitangi Tribune* On coming to new Zealand, I applied for admission to the. Presbyterian Church, and on presenting the usual credentials from the Presbytery of Brisbane, I was admitted. I started the Auckland Evening Star, and for a short time ac^ cused was in our employment as special correspondent at Wellington. We dispensed with his services in consequence of receiving from him an exceedingly immoral telegram. He was in our employ about six weeks. He came up to Auckland, and was employed on the Echo newspaper as sub-editor. I saw Sherrin in Auckland after he had left the Echo. He came to me, and applied for help. He represented that he was penniless. I gave him £5, and with tears in his eyes he assured me he would never forget my kindness as long as he lived.. _. Since that I have never seen him. until I saw him yesterday in the Police Court at Timaru. Mr O'Meagher objected to this evidence. Mr Hammersley: lam not surprised that you should. ; Witness continued: Accused told me that: "he had been engaged at the Echo specially to abuse and blackguard Eeed " -—meaning thereby myself. His Worship: This I won't allow in. Mr Hammersley: But witness has a right to state what accused told him— " that he had. been engaged to abuse him." His Worship : Oh, well, put that down. I thought it was another Eeed. ▲ Cross-examined by Mr O'Meagher: I first joined the Presbyterian Church in Warren Point, near Newry, in the North' of Ireland. I was ordained as a missionary to Victoria. I was stationed in l^orth Melbourne in November. 1857, and remained there until about January, 1861, when I went to Ispwich, near Brisbane. " I was never unfrocked, or. subjected to any church discipline. I was never censured, or charged with any offence before any church court. I never heard a rutnor.against my moral character. There was never, to my knowledge, any complaint laid against me, and I do not think one could have been made without my knowledge. I left the Church only for the purpose of going into Parliament, a3 in Queensland the law is against a minister of religion holding a. seat in PauJjament. Accused .said' he had been brought up from Wellington for the purpose of blackguarding me.' Mr O'Meagher: It is not usual to call '■ writing against each " blackguarding? " Witness : No. ■ ■ Mr O',Meagher:"There have been some pretty severe articles written in the Auck-. [and papers, and % believe you wrote spme ' " :;: ;■ '■ -.'.v •,:■;-,- ;• ■Witness -.Yes ; but I certainly never wrote anything like that. ,-' ; Mr O'Meagher: Oh! You managed to carry, the knife between . the paring and the apple? - ' Witness.; Quite, go; So far as I can ''remember, accused, said he was engaged by Mr Macfarlane. Mr Macfarlane took

an active part in the management, of the Echo. He canvassed for it. I did not lend the money to Sherrin ; J made him a present of it. He offered to take it as a loan, but in a jocular way I said, " No, Mr Sherrin, I'll give it you ; you never had money, and you never will have any, and you'd never be able to pay me." The money was not given him as tbe price of some letters. I have written letters to him about Mr Luckie. I know to what you refer; I will explain. Mr O'Meagher did not waut the explanation. Mr Hammersley: The witness simply wants to.explain what he knows, and to tell his own story. His Worship directed that the examination should continue. Further evidence for the prosecution was taken, and The accused was then committed to take his trial at the next Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court at Timaru. On the .application of Mr O'Meagher the amount of bail was fixed at two sureties of £100 each, and defendant's own bond for £200. Bail was not forthcoming, and the accused was detained in custody, awaiting the June sessions. At fhe close of the proceedings, Mr Eeed laid a criminal information for libel against Eichatd Charles White Cuming as printer and publisher of the aforesaid letter, and the next sitting of the E.M. Court," at Waimate, the 12th of April, was fixed for the hearing of the case.—Auckland Star.