AN EPISODE OF THE TICHBORNE TRIAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 318, 3 January 1874, Page 3

AN EPISODE OF THE TICHBORNE TRIAL.

On October 2, during the examination of Colonel Norbury, o£ the Carbineer (a witness for the defence), a discubaicm^ arose as to whether or not a certain envelope had been produced at the first trial, Dr. Kcnealy finding a passage in which it appeared that some envelope had been handed by Mr. Hawkins to the Colonel to identify— though it appeared that this was tho envelope of some other letter — insisted that this was the same, and that therefore it was handed to Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Hawkins upon this declared .that it was not so, but that it was the envelope of another letter which was there alluded to. Dr Kenealy said the envelope was, by the evidence, traced to the hands of Mr. Hawkins, and he would rather believe that than Mi\ Hawkins' word. This brought to his feet very quickly Mr. Hawkins, who vehemently denied the statement, and declared it emphatically to be utterly false, and protested against the gross and offensive imputation conveyed. Lord Chief Justice Cockburn said he greatly regretted the use of suck language, while Mr. Justice Lush said emphatically that he had been more pained at the language xised in this trial than he had ever been before in any ease in which he had ever been engaged. Dr. Konealy repeated his assertion, and Mr. Hawkins again vehemently denied it. Then a juror added fuel to the fire by observing that the time- of the Court was worth far more than the matter in dispute about this envelope. Upon this Dr. Kenealy vehemently protested against any imputation of wasting time. "My client's interests," said he, "in this case, which might involve twenty-one years' penal servitude, are far more serious than the time of any juror. If the jury as a, body tell nw I am wasting time, I will bow to their opinion, but I protest against any such observations from a particular juror." The following colloquy then took place. The Lord Chief Justice : " I must avow my opinion that this particular envelope is not of the slightest importance, and I regret deeply the language which has been nsed about it." — Dr. Kenealy: Well, I only say that I had rather take the cvidcii'-e than Mr- Hawkins's word, and I do not see that, there w anything very serious in that. — Mr Justice Mellor : I am not surprif.i\l at you.— Dr. Kenealy :I am not^ surprised at anything you say to mf», my Lord. — The Lord Chief Justice : If such language is used, the relations which have hitherto subsisted between the Bar and the Bench cannot continue. — Mr. Justice Mellor, with equal emphasis : I am bound to say that my feelings have been more severely tried in this case than they have ever been before during the whole of my experience. The " Times " report adds that there was a murmur of dissent; from the Tress box as this painful scene closed.