ANOTHER OPUNAKE SENSATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 31, 31 October 1907, Page 7

ANOTHER OPUNAKE SENSATION.

TELEGRAM WITH A FICTITIOUS NAME. " EOUH MONTHS' i;B ABOTJR. .. [mc .TEMGBAPn.—rraies association.] ! ' V New Plymouth, October 30. . At the Stratford Polico Court to-day. Ewin-Hannan Hill was ! chargcd with having at Opunako, on. May ,6, .delivered a telogram to a public official for transmission, signed with a fictitious name, s Hill wa's tho victim of the recent Opunako tarring and v feathering capo. Some timo previously Hill- was horsewhipped, by a Hawera man because of ship alleged, unwelcome)- attentions to tho latter's wife, and the'' horkewhippor was commended for his conduct by a magistrate. Tho tarring and feathering practically arose out of tho public knowledge of that , caso, .' aggravated ■; by' .- his". alleged conduct at Opimako. . Tho . telegram, which was tho subject of' tho preset caso, was sent to tho Haweraman roferred to, and reflected on his wife,' who was that day in Opunako..; -K ' Accused ploaded guilty. Dotqptivo Boddam statod that the offenco was committed two months prior to tho Opunako tarring case, with whioh it was in; no way ...connected. Although there was absolutoly'ho truth' ih tho allegations contained in thp : telbgTam,v.it. causod the husband concidorahlo anxiety and worry. • Tho original tqlegram; received at-Hawera were produced. Tile detective - pointed out that .tho accused was practically an outcast, from society, and .was shunned by both employers ' and .employees. Accused, he said, was porfectly sano. , Tho accused commcncod to oxplain why,ho sont the telegram, but whs cut short- by the llonch, whdi-st'atcd that accused was only furthor 'reflecting on the character of tho person concorned. The Bench pointed out 1 tho seriousness'of tho offence, but said tho accused would bo dealt very leniently with as he had ho dbubt had a trying time 'recently,. His .best plan, -when his term of imprisonment expired, would bo to leavo the Dominion. 'A. sontence of. fo ( ur, hard labour was passed. •'-