A UNIQUE CAREER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9565, 11 August 1909, Page 3

A UNIQUE CAREER.

The career of Richard Dennis Meagher, who was reinstated on the solicitors' rnli of New South Wales recently has been unique. As a student he quickly distinguished himself as one far superior to his fellow scholars. From school he did not proceed to the University of Sydney, although his mental capacities and hi 3 educational attainments would have undoubtedly fitted him for a place in the ranki.of the "undergrade." All tne same, he plodded on, and "took to the Law." Having passed his examinations very creditably, he commenced practice, and entered into partnership with the late Mr W. P. Crick. This partnership—the firm were solicitors and attorneys —was excellent. Crick and Meagher were the leading and, indeed, the principal attorneys who deal with criminal matters in the Courts of New South Wales. Then there came the great "debacle" of the "Dean case"—one of the most sensational tragedies that has occurred in Australian history—one of the most miserahle and contemptible crimes that could ha«e been imagined anywhere. And Megher was involved in the matter in a peculiar fashion. He was engaged in the ordinary way as counsel for the accused, Dean, who was ' charged with having attempted to ! murder his wife by means of poison, j.The late Sir William Windsor tried I the case, and, the jury having found : a verdict of "guilty," the prisoner : Dean was sentenced to death. There | were many doubtful questions raised ' in regard to the prisoner's guilt or otherwise, and eventually a Royal Commission was appointed, which, alter virtually rehearing the case, practically reversed the finding of the Supreme Court in its criminal jurisdiction. George Dean was released. He resumed his former employment as mapter of a ferry steamer running the night tripa from Circular Quay, Sydney, to the North Shore, and continued to do so for probably a couple of months. Then a curious thing happened. A Parliamentary election occurred, and Mr MeagJier look it into his head to contest the Philip Division. A writer in the Sydney "Daily Telegraph," Mr Ernest Blackwell, wrote Mr Meagher's candidature down in unmeasured terms, and peinted out that Mr Meagher had, through his unskilful conduct of the defence of Dean, put the colony to serious expense. Whtn that statement was published Mr Meagher sen*: a copy of it to Mr C. Q.C. (who had appeared befoi'e the Royal Commission for Dean). Mr Pilcher happened to be out of town. Mr Meagher's messenger was then told to take the excerpt from the newspaper to Sir Julian Salomons was the leading counsel for the Crown before the Royal Commission). Sir Julian was asked by Mr Meagher whether the "Daily Te.egraph's" statement was not actionable. Sir Julian said tint an action would lie, but advised that it was hurdl> wcitli while to proceed with it Mr Mea. gher wanted to know why, and in pursuance of his argument to Sir Julian said that he had put the colonj to r.o expense in freeing an innocent man, but he had succeeded j in securing he liberation of

"guilty) *' man. At this Sir Julian pricked up his ears, and made some further enquiries, wnich nsjlti:d in a by Mr Meabger l.hat he had interviewed "George 1 . Dean when he was lying in the condemned cell, and that Dean had confessed to him that he had attempted to poison his wife. Dean was re-arrested and sentenced to a long term of imprisonment, this ti:: o on a charge of perjury. Mr Meagher was struck off the roll of solicitors of the Supreme Couit. He has frequently 'applied for re-inst:itetnent, but the Supreme Court until now has not found that he was purged of his offence.