HORRIBLY POLITE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1641, 22 March 1884, Page 4

HORRIBLY POLITE.

Mr Baron Graham was one of the judges who sat on the English Benchin tho early part of this century. He was distinguished for his remarkable politeness, and for having sentenced more unfortunate human beings to death than any other judge who ever presided at the County Assizes. He invariably exemplified his peculiar notions of politeness even in the very act of sentencing poor creatures to death. His manners on such occasions would often have been laughable but for the deeply effecting situation in which the unhappy prisoner stood. A very singular instance of the Baron's excessive and ill-timed politeness occurred on one occasion after the close of the trials at the County Assize. Nine unhappy men were all appointed to receive the sentence of death for burglary, highway robberies, and other offences. It so happened, however, that on entering the names of the unfortunate parties, after being convicted, on his own slip of paper, Baron Graham omitted the name of one prisoner, The nine men were brought up to receive judgment, and the eight whose names were on his paper were severally sentenced to death. They then quitted tho bar. The ninth stood in mute astonishment at the circumstance that no sentence was passed on him. The clerk of the Court, perceiving the mistako, immediately called aloud to his lordship, just as he was opening the door to leave the Court, that lie had omitted to pass sentence on the unfortunate man. Turning about and casting a look of surprise at the unhappy prisoner lie hurried back to the seat he had just vacated, and taking a pince of snuffhe was one of the most inveterate snuff takers that ever lived—aud putting on the black cap, he addressed the prisoner in the following strain, at the same time making a profusion of bows: | "My good, man, I really beg your pardon for the mistake; it was entirely a mistake—altogether a mistako, I can assure you. The sentence of the Court on you is, that you bo taken to the plaee whence you came, thence to the place of execution, and there hanged by the neck until you are dead. And the Lord have mercy on your soul. I do beg your pardon. I'm very sorry, I assure you." So saying he made another bow to the unhappy man, and then quitted the Court, :