A SENTENCE WITHOUT EVIDENCE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9816, 27 August 1897, Page 3

A SENTENCE WITHOUT EVIDENCE.

T* THJf KDITOB OK THJS MtESS. Sib,—ln your issue of to-day Mr M. Donnelly complains of the action of Messre W. H. Cooper, J.P., and T. Gapes, J. P., for sending a young man of good character to gaol for one month for stealing, if it could be called stealing, a brewer's strikea-light from the bar of an hotel, the offender being so drunk that the barman would not give him any more liquor. But what about the other unfortunate accused who was not defended, and who also got a month's hard ? His position is worst. It was known to the polire that he denied all knowledge of the affiir, and I understand that the man for whom Mr Donnelly appeared was prepared to say that his companion in trouble knew nothing about the removal of the strike-a-light. The Chairman, Mr W. H. Cooper, •T.P., never asked the second man if he had any defence to offer, or if having heard the evidence he wished to call witnesses or be examined himself. He heard what Mr Donnelly had to say only, and sentenced each man to a month. Against the second man there was not -f scrap of evidence. Beyond the statement that he was at one time in company with his tipsy mate not a word of evidence was led to show that the unfortunate man knew anything about the strike-a-light, or that his mate had removed it. As Mr Donnelly's client was defended, it was not necessary to caution him in the summary case, but the law requires an undefended man to be cautioned and asked if he has any evidence to offer. The undefended man was not so cautioned or asked. He was illegally sentenced, and, worse than all, convicted on no evidence. If this is what Mr W. H. Cooper, J.P., calls administering justice according to his " lights," a few more rays are sadly wanted.— Yours, &c, HUMANIOT.