THE SWEEP PROSECUTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 144, 20 June 1887, Page 7

THE SWEEP PROSECUTION.

Severe Penalties

(BJT TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Wellington, this day. . Tee celebrated Eagle's Nest Killarney conBulbation case was brought to a conclusion in tho Wellington Magistrate's Court yesterday, when Henry James Kogers, who was accused of acting as. Wellington agent for the promoter, was fined LSO, or in default three months' imprisonment, and George Smith, for having bought a ticket in the sweep, was fined 50s. Bilby, who had already been sentenced to a term of imprisonment as one of the promoters of the venture, was brought up in custody from Christchurch, and gave evidence for the prosecution. In the course of his evidence he said thab Steppleton, in whoso the sweep'was carried on, and who, has been supposed to be a mythical character, really existed, and would have been caught by tho police if they had not been, in such a hurry. Bilby said the detectives •who liad hold of him thought that he (Bilby) was Steppleton, and he did not contradict; them until tho other persons who ■were concerned in the transaction were clear of the colony. Being arrested with ■Siome of the papers in his possession, he thought he might as well take the blame of the whole thing. Kogers made an extraordinary'statement in accounting for certain criminating correspondence, namely, that he feared that Bilby, who was mysteriously absent from Wellington, was engaged m smu<Ming tobacco, and might inculpate^him by sending some of it to Dim. In order to prevent this he said he invented a series of false statements •which would have the effect of bringing tßilby quickly .to Wellington, and which appeared now to connect him with the consultation. The magistrate expressed surprise at the nature of the statement, Which he said could not be reconciled with the documentary evidence. The letters which had been produced showed clearly that Rogers worked in unison with Bilby in initiating a schemt, which, if successful, would have developed into a yery extensive swindle. .