Evidence of Approaches to Jurymen

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 44, 24 February 1944, Page 5

Evidence of Approaches to Jurymen

!LABOURER BEFORE COURT ON SERIOUS CHARGE » (Per Press Association.) i WELLINGTON, Feb. 23. 1 John Barrett, a labourer, aged 64, 5 appeared in the Magistrate’s Court 1 to-day before Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., on three charges of wilfully attempting to obstruct, pervert or defeat the course 5 of justice by attempting to persuade | jurymen to take a lenient view of the accused in. an abortion case, and on one 1 charge of attempting to influence by a bribe a juryman in his conduct as such. , Thomas Vincent Connell stated that , on Sunday, February 6, a car stopped ‘ near his home and a man got out, ' whom he recognised as accused. Aci cused asked if witness was on the jury on Monday. “I said yes, and he then L said that the big case was coming off—- , the Kadcliffe abortion case. He then said, ‘Look here, she is a good woman. , cihe has two children. She has lost her 5 husband in an accident and she is . doing young girls a good turn.’ I said . I hadn’t had any experience of juries [ and asked him what was the procedure - and it tho foreman had much to say. f He said yes, the foreman had a lot to say, but he said if there was a verdict l by 11 jurymen, I cbuld say no.” Witness continued that he had told . his visitor that he would only weigh j the evidence as he found it and be > scrupulous, broadminded and fair. He l then said the whole trouble was 5 “squoalers” and that in his own country they would just shoot them, l bury them, and that was all there was L to it. * Bruce lan Cossar said that on 5 January 29 ho saw near his homo an i elderly person, who said he believed . witness was on the jury. “He said ho - would make it worth my while if I . went his way,” said witness. His visitor 1 took some money from his inside pocket - and £5 as offered to witness, which he refused. At the Central Police Station 1 witness attended an identification 1 parade and identified a man as his 1 visitor. He was not now certain if 3 accused was his visitor or if he was tho c man he identified at the Central Police ■ Station. J Francis William Elworthy, in evi--3 dence, said that on February 5 a man called at his home and asked if he was l on the jury. “He mentioned an 3 abortion case and I said ‘When is it?’ ' and lie said ‘Monday.’ He then asked 3 did I think it fair that tho squealers should be put in the box as well as the accused. I said, ‘Who are you?’ and he said he was a great friend of accused. Witness added that his visitor said he had been told that he (witness) was l a fairminded man and would sco that justice was done to accused. Witness said that as far as he was concerned, ; justice would be done. He added that ’ at tho identification parade he was ■ unable to say which of the men was the one who had visited him. k A daughter of the previous witness said that she had seen the visitor at their homo and later she attended tire identification parade. She added that i accused was definitely the man who visited the house, but she could not 5 say if he was the man she picked out 5 at tho identification parade. ! Harry Mason Norling said that on February 5 he had a short conversation 5 with a visitor to his house. The visitor 5 said he believed witness was on the ! jury. The conversation led up to the . abortion case and witness then asked » him who and what 110 was. His visitor > said he believed witness to be a leveli | headed man and broadminded. Later : at tho identification parade witness failed to identify his visitor. Accused pleaded not guilty to nil charges and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial, bail being allowed. Mr. F. W. Ongley appeared for accused. WOMEN GIVEN FOUR YEARS’ HARD LABOUR. WELLINGTON, Feb. 23. ; Florence May Radcliffe, aged 39, a : domestic, was sentenced bv tho Chief > Justice to four years’ hard labour on each of four counts concerning the unL lawful use of an instrument, the terms 1 to be concurrent. The Judge said pris--2 oner had been carrying on a very loath--3 some business very extensively. He de- - dined an application to reserve for tho 1 Cout of Appeal questions of law relat--1 ing to the admissibility of certain evidence and his direction to the jury.