CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9049, 7 February 1908, Page 5

CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER.

TRIAL OF SHERIDAN,

"NOT GUILTY."

11Y TELEGRAPH—MESS Af'S 'CTATION. WELLINGTON; February 6. At the Supreme Court, to-day, James Malachy Sheridan was "arraigned on an indictment charging him with the manslaughter of John McNally, at Wellington, on 3rd January, 1908. . The evidence was mainly on the lines of that telegraphed at the time of the occurrence and at the inquest. Two witnesses said they had seen deceased in a very drunken state, being assisted by Sheridan to a place where he could sit down. One witness said he saw deceased fall and strike his head heavily on the footpath. The defence was that deceased's death was really accidental. Sheridan, giving evidence on his own behalf, said he tried to put McNally in a place of safety while he was drunk. McNally strufck him several times and made use of bad language towards him. He went to leave McNally, who followed him and struck him again. It was while endeavouring to protect himself from this blow that he hit deceased, knocking him down. He had not so much struck McNally as he had endeavoured, to ward off the attack on himself. After a retirement of fifteen minutes, the jury returned a verdict of "Not Guilty."