VELTHEIM'S FINAL PLEA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 122, 15 February 1908, Page 5

VELTHEIM'S FINAL PLEA.

« SERIES OF DENIALS, n\' TELEORArn —riiKas association— copyright. ,''l London, February 13. Voltheim, stated that,.he/had, not-jntended that 1 the 'wretched: letters -signed' " Kismet —blackmailing epistles written by him: to Woolf, Joel (whom ho . shot in Johannesburg) have beep -takeii seriously.' He was not such-a fooj as to think such letters would produce, money; his oonscienco was. clear on that point.' ■ . . ~' ■~ . : . ... ■ -•

Mr. Barnato was'not tho principal 'man in tho scheme wherein : ho had' asked his .(yolthoim's). assistance, but one of a nunilier. Ho had begged Woolf Joel's pardon for the " Kismet." ; letters,' and Joel' forgavo him. Ho .was tried for Joel's murder 111 tho Transvaal, and .was acquitted.. - 1 .

He added:r.", Thank God, it was not a .British; jury, l but; men- who did not measure everything by pounds, shillings, and' pence. They acquitted me/because , ; tliey knpw.-'I was innocent." ■..'/,. '/' ■

He;said-:he,had: risked ibis life rather than . betray the names, of those in tho plot to the Bper Government./ -Referring to the charges .of having 'bigamously. married -'and defrauded ho; declared:] ".I, never, got money from women." . ... . . . ',- ./'/ ■'

"Mr. Justico Phillimoro, 1 in emphasising-the fact that. Veltheim had been found, guilty of'ono of, tho * ihost serious] crimes, declared that tho . sentenco. of. punishmdnt .must bo' equally preventive. ' -/'/ '-. ..; : '

Prisoner shunned:,']ieaHnE the sentence of twenty, years' imprisonment which was passed on him.

Tho ■ Times .". describes 'Voltheim as a very: dangerous : seouhdrol. ; ' Criminals' of his stamp, it says, lie to,tho last. Other newspapers aro equally satisfied with the action of the jury and judge. ] ' A BROKEN MAN." : (Rcc;.„Pobi 14, 11.25 p.m.) '' 1 .London, February 14, Tho -warders of Wormwood Scrubs prison describo Voltheim as a broken man. ..-He-is 111 a dazed semi-collapsed condition.