THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 197, 18 August 1906, Page 13

THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CASE.

IREMARKS BY THE PRESTOING JUDGE. On taking his seat at the Old Bailey on July 3, Mr Justice Bigttam made an important announcement with reference to the Christian Science case tried before him the previous week, and which... ended in the Jury disagreeing on Saturday. The accused was George Robert Adcock, a Christian Scientist, of Ebury-street, PJmlico, and he was charged with the manslaughter by neglect of Major John Nicholas Whyte, of the Lancashire Fusiliers.. Addressing Mr . Charles Mathews, who was one of the counsel for the prosecution, his lordship said that he had' carefully considered the evidence in the case, and had come to the conclusion that a conviction would be undesirable. In his opinion, the evidence waus not sufficient to support a conviction. He added that he did not wish to interfere with the course th. Treasury might think fit to adopt in regard to the case, but he thought it desirable that they should know his opinion. Mr Mathews replied that he was quite sure that the views of his lordship would receive every consideration from, the authorities. His lordship, we understand, was influenced by the attitude of the Jury in the remarks he made. Only three—and of these one was doubtfuk—were in favour of a conviction. Several members of the jury were seen yesterday by. a "Daily Mail" representative, and they were each emphatic in their declaration that they had acted entirely on their own initiative in disagreeing. After the judge's appeal they had hope 3 that they could have returned a verdict, and would have done so but for the opposition of two men who were thoroughly opposed to any consideration of Christian Science. - "It was mere prejudice," safd one of the jurymen. "I have no sympathy with Christian Science, and think it is a very mistaken notion. I am a plain man, and could describe it as absolute nonsensfe But what were we to do? The prisoner had met the dead man at church, or whatever you like to call it. They had got friendly, and most of us were convinced that the offer of a guinea a week simply was poc-ket-money."