A JURYMAN'S INDISCRETION

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXVIII, 21 June 1912, Page 7

A JURYMAN'S INDISCRETION

HE IS ALLOWED TO INTERVIEW

ACCUSED

JUDGE DISCHARGES THE JURY

BT TEI,EGEAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION

BLENHEIM, June 21. When the Supreme Court resumed this morning for the continued hearing of the conspiracy charges against Binley and Walsh } matters took a somewhat sensational form.

The Crown Prosecutor intimated to his Honor that he had been informed by the sergeant.of police that the fore-

man of the jury (Frank Clarke) had visited the police station last night and interviewed the prisoners.

His Honor then entered upon a searching enquiry into the matter, examining, several members of the police force and Clarke, on oath.

It was stated that Clarke, with another, approached the accused in the corridor of the police cells and was ordered off the premises by the sergeant. It was also mentioned that a bottle of whisky was in the possession of the prisoners.

■Clarke explained that he strongly held the opinion that the prisoners should not have been detained in gaol for the nicht. and after failing in his efforts to obtain their release went down to see if they were all right. Ho knew nothing about the whisky. and did not consider that he was doing anything improper. The Judge treated the matter as of sen'rms import, $mrl Avith great rep'ret applied for the first time in the history of the dominion, section 431 of the Crimes Act. and discharged the iim\ The e^se was then adjourned \vntil the nevt sittings of the court.

In r^ff>ren'"■> +o the PMnnlv of whisky, counsel for Walsh snid that a man in r>rmr+, -\vns prepared to say he gave the wh'sky to the nnsoners.

Tbl^ Jud°e Csud he preferred to leave tho i'lvesti^ntinn of that part of the episode to the Crown Prosecutor.