MOVING COURT SCENE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 76429, 2 February 1903, Page 3

MOVING COURT SCENE.

NOTED SOLICITOR SENT TO PRI-

LONDON, December 12. Under painful circumstances, and amid pathetic .scenes-, Bobort Harding) Milward, one of the best-known Birmingjham solicitors, was yesterday; sent by the Lord Ohi6f Justice into penal servitude for six years for extensive misappropriation of trust funds. Of the counsel present nearly all were mtijmately* acquainted with. Milward, as well as a large number of solicitdrs in court. Thero were^ a number of ladies present, and many old clients of Milward's. It was noticed that when Ms lordship was seated, the Clerk of Arraigns callod on " Mr Milward," who at once stopped into the dock, and was accommodated with a seat.

In opening, Mr Lawrence, X.0., described the duty lie had to perform as a very painful one. Milward was a solicitor who had been known to aljnost all of them for many years, and one who had occupied a very excellent position, and been respected, counsel thought, by all. • The case for the Crown lasted under two hours, and then Mr. Hugo Young, K.C., raised a number of legal technicalities on behalf of tho defence,- but called no witnesses.'

His lordship was against Mr Mil-, ward on points of law, and the jury* found him guilty, without leaving the box. It transpired, that £84,000 of his h'ahilitifes were moneys entrusted ,td him.

THE LAST APPEAL.

It was v a touching scene when, by permission of the judge, Milward made his final appeal. " I have nothing," he said, " at all to v say as to the verdict in this case ; it .would not be fitting for me to do so. I have, to. ask your lordship in passing sentence to bear this in mind. I am in my sixty-fifth -year. My mother died at sixty-five, my brother at sixty-five/ and another brother at sixty. - - . " Consequently I have -probably only a year or two to live. I have only just recovered from a terrible attack of brain fever and apoplexy caused by these unfortunate events, and leaving me at. the point of death.

"1 ask you to take into consideration that any sentence which you may impose will probi&Jbly result in my ending'my life in gaol."- , The judge then, with evident emotion, passed sentence. In doing so he remarked—" To me,, nothing givear me gr&atcr pain than to nave to sentence a man in your position, and -more so because I believe you have been .respected by your neighbours, and *in years gone, by I was connected with you professionally, and had a great regard for you." After this the man, who had figured so prominently in Birmingham life, left the dock with faltering footsteps and qjuivering lips.