SUPREME COURT TRIALS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13227, 22 September 1908, Page 8

SUPREME COURT TRIALS.

(.RESB ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMS.) HOKITIKA, September 21. In the Supremo Court to-day G. Connolly was charged with perjury arising out of tho Wostport murder charge in May last. Tho case is likely to la it a week, there being about 70 witnesses, only threo of whom wero heard to-day. Anderson and Hallinen, formerly sailors on the* steamer Canopus, nnd who were convicted at Nelson of manslaughter and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, were tho principal witnesses. They positively denied Connolly's statements on which they were convicted, and on which tho present chargo of perjury was founded. They assort that they never S3\v Burke, tho man who was killed, dead or alive, and gave similar versions as to thoir movomonts on the night of tho tragedy, and generally corroborated each other's evidence. Mr Herdman and Mr Beare appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Hannan and Mr Park tor tho defence. Mr Justice Cooper is on tho Bench. GISBORNE, September 21. At tho Supremo Court, Dorothy Niccoll, who pleaded guilty in tho Lower Court to perjury, was admitted to probation for two years, Mr Justico Edwards stating that it was only because of her five young childron that lio had granted this leniency, Edward Boniface, a youth, who pleaded guilty to burglary at Waerenga-a-hika, was admitted to probation for one year, his Honour stating it was clear that accused had got into bad company and was not himself a highwayman. Joseph Johnston and James' Kcegan, who had pleaded guilty to the same crime, were next sentenced. (These were tho men recently convicted of highway robberies in Christehurch). Johnston was sentenced to ono year's imprisonment, cumulative" on that which he was already serving, and declared to be an habitual criminal. Keegan was also sentenced to one year's gaol, cumulative on that wliich he was already serving.

NAPIER, .September 21. The Supreme Court session opened this morning before Mr Justico Chapman, who found himself able to again congratulate tho district on tho absence of serious crime, as evidenced by the calendar, which contained only six cases, all of minor importance.