THE McLEAN-IREDALE CASE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2468, 4 December 1886, Page 2

THE McLEAN-IREDALE CASE.

(United Pisss Association,) ' Hawkra, December 2. The McLean-Male case has created great sensation in this district, wheie the parta havo beon long resident, nnd are well-known. McLean is a carpenter by trade, a sober, hard-working man, who is described as being excitable and peculiar in his manner. He has been married for four or five years, his wife now being 22 years of age, and has no family. For some eighteen months they have resided on the property of Iredale Brothers, two single youtiu men who own a very nice dairy farm, and lmvo a good reputation, being steady, quiet, and even reserved. On November 18, in consequence of a statement made to him by his wife McLean as alleged, wont to Frederick Iredale, and challenged him with having forcibly had improper intimacy with Mrs McLean at different'times, extending from about seven months ago till November Kith, as a result of which she is enceinte, He gave Iredalo two days to live. Iredale Bays that he denied the truth of the statement, and said that either McLean or his wifo mujt be mad to make such a statement, and offered to go and confront Mrs | MoLean, McLean said that if he did ho I should not leave the place alive. Further it it alleged that that he same afternoon, McLean fired-'at -Iredale, who. was on horseback, aU distance'.first judged to be 60 or 70 yards off, but subsequently judged to be 4C yards off. The shot ■ completely missed him, though McLean is a fair shot. Iredalo was so frightened that he;loft the farm and did not return till next day.' He did not go to the police, but tho samo evening (Thursday, the Bth November) Joseph Iredale, who was returning from Wellington, was bailed up by MoLean with a gun, When McLoan saw that it was Joseph and not Frederick Iredale; he told him what lie charged his brother with, and said he had fired at him but had miß3ed him. He was sorry he had shot in the gun instead ot ball, but now it wis loaded with ball, and he intended to shoot Fred whenever he caught him. Something to tho same effect was said by McLean to a laboring man who saw him near to Iredale's houso the tame evening, Next day, at the instance of Joseph Iredale, McLean was arrested, and charged—first, with being in unlawful possession of firearms, and next with attempted murder. A few day's latef informations were laid against Iredale by McLean charging'himwith rape and perjury. Yesterday McLean was committed for trial ou the charge of attempt to murder. Then tha informaticjp charging Iredale with rape on the 16th of November was withdrawn, t it "being alleged' that counsel found that the ovidehco would not be sufficient to support the information. The- charge of perjury was proceeded with. Perjury was assigned on t\vu allegations—the first that ho (Frederick Iredale) had sworn that he had not been guilty of improper intimaoy with Mr McLean, the second, that he denied that he had offered to withdraw the charge of attempted murder if Mrs McLean would withdraw her state mentastothe improper intimacy. The hearing of this case lasted till midnight on Wednesday and during part of to-day. Mrs McLean swore positively that the events bad occurred, Mc-

Lean swore that Frederick Iredale had j omfeasi'dtothe intimacy, but said Mrs t McLean vaa a consenting party. Mis r McLean and hor mother swore that Ire- i dale lnvd (feed to withdraw bho charge against McLean if they would say he was innucnut.' i-ho augfestioua of the defence wero that'the prosecutions were to clear 1 McLean of his offence, and also to , extort money, but the witness relied upon ] for the latter suggestion upon which the i suggestion was based, never took place as far as Bhe knew. Frederick Iredale was committed for trial.