CASEMENT PROUD

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 156, 1 July 1916, Page 5

CASEMENT PROUD

TO STAND IN THE BOCK. DENIES COTTRTS RIGHT TO TRY HIM. LONDON". .Tune 30. I The jury in the Casement trial were j out for SO minutes. When the verdict j was announced Sir Roger Casement j smiled, half sadly. Holding the dock rails, he read a statement, first brokenly. ; then firmly. It had been written three j weeks ago in prison. i He declared: "1 am being tried by ■ peers of the dead past. So antiquated is \ the law that must be used to slay an j Irishman that they have brought an Act; of 1351 to convict mo." The prisoner' reeled, and looked as if "lie would col-1 lapse. Ho called for water, and proceeded: "Individual assassination is reserve only for one iype of mcn —Irish- | men. This Court, this jury, and public opinion in this country cannot but be prejudiced against mc. 1 accept no verdict save at the hands of my countrymen." Prisoner then produced another paper explaining that he wrote it the previous night. "I went the way I knew must lead mc to the dock," he said. "T am proud to stand here to-day." Prisoner thanked the Lord Chief Justice. The three judges donned black caps. Casement smiled nervously as he was sentenced. Baron Reading, the Chief Justice, pronounced the sentence, Sir Horace Avory adding "Amen.' Casement smiled to a friend in Court, and left the dock. MATTER OF MARTYRDOM. LONDON, June 30. The "Dairy News" says: "It is doubtful whether it would be true wisdom to give Casement the crown of martyrdom. If other rebels deserved death he doubly deserved it, but the authorities may well ask whether it would be prudent to add another element to the danger of a perilous situation.'