THE CHARGE OF MURDER AGAINST JOHN CLARK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VI, Issue 1753, 26 August 1869, Page 5

THE CHARGE OF MURDER AGAINST JOHN CLARK.

(Kroni the SiMneij Kvmlu.j News, Aug. 1(!.) John Ci.abk, who on l-Yiday «< arrainucd and pleaded not guilty to an indictment. *'!i:irniii« him with liuviiif; on the lind August. lN(>:i, killed and murdered one Susan Clark, was'placed in the (took. Mr. Windever, instructed In .Mr. 14. li. Smith, appeared lor the prisoner. Sir William Mannini; (Attorncy-Conei-al) appeared on hehalf of the Crown'. Mr. Windeyor applied to his Honor lora postponement of tin- trial, lie stated that the prisoner was on last S.itimlav week i-onimitted for t rial hv the Coroner lon a charge of manslaughter. On the following Wed- | nesdav he was brought up al the I'oliee Court on a ; charge of murder : evidi-nee was taken, hut the case ; was not earrii-d through. 'I'll.- prisoner's attorney lias therefore not had time to prepare I he prisoner's defence seeing that the prisoner did not know what course was to betaken in Ihe matter. The learned eounsel.[noted from the atlidavit of Mr. K. 1!. Smith, prisoner's attorney. Matin* that he helieves I'-e trial of the ease a-ii.i-t the prisoner at the pre.-ent sitting- of the Court would he prejudicial to the prisoner's fair trial. 'I'hr excitement of t-l-e puhlii- mind at the present time would soon he injurious to the prisoner. .Mr. Wiudeyer produeed n copy of Hie I'oliee News appended to tiie aflidavit. In this abominable publical ion t here was an article, publi-hed on the 7th instant, wliieli ass-iiu.- (hat a verdict of guilt > of wilful murder w.mld he relnr-ied l,v the coroner's jurv. The article was h.-idi-d ■■ lufiil'Murd. r of .Mrs. Clark," and all through treat e,l the ea>e as one ~f murder, and this while Hi.- ehai-.-e ».-,s K-ing im e-l igalcd. This was eal.-iilaled to prejudice a fair trial of the prisoner. lie (Mr. Wi-dewr' could not see why the ease should not he p.,-! the prisoner eould not get :I».-1V. he would ofe..ur-e he kepi in euslodv. and the wilne--es wen- all r.-sidenl in and 'not likdv ;to go away. In the .u-e of licrlr..nd an applieatio'n tor a poMponement wa- uraiKed on the ground of popular ev.-itenient. and why should not the present application hn granted on the same ground. Was th.-re a desire t>. push this case forward hceau-c public excitement prevailed? He j (Mr. Wvi-.devci-i. apart tV.-m the reas.-ns h:. had nliva.lv yiyei'i. was' n,.t prepared to defend the ' pri-oner. lie felt app:d!e.l at th.- tl ght tin! he J should he called upon M uiidermke th- defence of the pri-oner. ejar-cd at he * .is with an otl'ence which iny..lved the p.— i'u'.its , Y h> . !.-at I:, without proper |>re;iarati.m. It :na hr s-ii.l that he »a- pu-scn: at w-telil! ase on his behalf to s, v tj, : .t n,,ihii : - shoul.l !.•■ i-.tr.. ; iue,-d a-.in-, lu,,i in ei id.ai. •• that ..u-hl ...o: to i-.-. il- !: -A It. ll Mn - in-! rue!,- 1 that tin- pris i;,r. wli :• touii-. iveciv,- 1 a vioh-ut fall f'rom a h..r-e. and ,ii,.v" he 'had I.e. n si.! jee: to tits of excltemc:::. If v.oll! I '~• ■;,: ri 'I . IflVc time .•i'.e.-.e ! ii, ~,•.!..• t.- :,.ak.- su:i;eienl i'n.piii-i.-, i:i ivleroMce to the pi-i-e,,.,-. ~;.j,-l, ~11-hl result i-! iv.111.-ill* tills ,-:•■■■ H- .-f th.-' !M-i -~!.. .- fr.cii . ■.:.■ ■■( -::n.- lev 1 . 'h:it ..f .',■,„-! . ~.),!. -. ' He i: -p.-d io- I!.. -I' w...;;d s,-e :'.:.• ■. a- ■!i-ii.let-.,-- .-f iiis -io|.li.-.,-:o.i and it. s'l- vV-Minm Mannn.-. i •'. ~n.„.-„_• the a'.|,i.e-i:i.-n. Ma:.-.i lh ,- he hel.eie.; :.. .';,e a la:'- Hial'dc!a\ wa~ ■ ; ie !il-t ■ ■ el.-.-.1.-,- ~f -iCChlelO- .1,. !e,,| : U -\ ~,U ! ; Ms .. ,e , ; - ..I M-,-..-,. »;,.. «... e ~„.,,,:.,-.! a. ihc .-!.-. ■;' :-.- ■ ■-: -.;i-m;- ~r ,l,e r--,,,, U al C..n:-,. a.id ■■-.-.< .-!..■ ■<' ■■„■ m-ivnal uitii,. «a- aw iy The ■',■- : !'. : ■-. T. ■• iv:,...:, ~. I'.c ci-.-'h.,-',.,,-,,...! lit. I' I lie ( 'el,, .Mi I'm! ee C...,',-! were Hi, -c : On 'a-'. M.- d-u ; i- la;.- Mi- r!.,-V- far- ; c- wei.r i.. ; ..,::-! -t-l- i 1 , -.,' :,e !.-l I cerlail- .P!..-!M: 1. ■•. ;i,r ..-, >'|.- ase. lie ;....k ■~- -1:,.,- .„-,, ,1.,w. : . I.;. . !, ...vler iha- 'he I ri- •■■. :■ i,o-hl !::,«•■ an . .p;.. .rt ie ut v ..f ':.■:! !!::■' -:at- lilrl.l. lie c.1.,-,-.. Ci.o-iv t-i he •. e.. ■ 1 1; : 11 -'a .:. n a ~ and iv!.ii:un- ii .' ~ , i.|,-. T.e :,i;.l:n.'., ..f the learne.l e■... ,-•!. lhal pri- •!• laid iveem-d a fall, and -in.v that lime «:,. 5.d.:.-- ' ~■■..-Hah•!(:-. w.,. ~:■ , .-• ■..;;■ lie. how.■\ei-. agreed Htth hi, hvir-ed frie-id t hat the paper ].-.. 111.-e i 'II < '-. I'M .•■.tllal'le.i a 1,-n . .l.|ee: j, ,nal,|e ar. !■•;.■. r,,,s ~; 1, .e- ,- ~uhli-!,el e\e, v Saturday tamed an arii.-ie whidi assumed that he had' I ~ f..und -<■:!:> of :uur.l. :-. T'i,- ~T i article Ha-eir-ulat..:' in th.• iurv r.-om ninie the ease was yoiui; on at the ( ■..n.i . t..ur;. »!,-. iv.i- :he ien I let of the jur\ nas n..i d.-liiered till thu -ameni U 'hi. al In ..V1...-L Ti.is iia- M..:. h.. »,•».•!■. a -elf.-.nlleienily Mron- ~h|ec:i,,n on which 10-ran! a p..-i pon.-meiit ..('the trial. In l! :,.,■ ~f |!,n ,-,, id. p. .pillar feelin' Ha- e\c,,,,l u, ,;, i,,:ch all ,ncr iae . olom" In II a-e of llowll and Kai:-i. a p. •-• p.-n.-neut niiu'hi Inn.' he". a-k.-.i for. ..,1 Ihe H.at an artiele hal i»vi, pnl.li-h.-d in a !ai-e journal j.rejndical 1., the pn-..ner>. In that ca-e he thou-hl there would he a u'lvater rcaswi, win a postpoin-mi-iit oiiahl to haw heen canted. Tii'e //.y.iA/ w:i-a lar»e journal, and eireuhited the m o>t re.speetahle class ~f , ill/, n<. while the /■.;■.■ Xr:s recen.,l „- 5,,,,,,,,,., ,>,,„, ,;,, ,„„.,.,. elas-e- and person, of low laM.- and he was conlldent that r.-pectahle jnrvmen w.,ii!.l ~..t he i :i lluenecd in the least In ainthuii; which appeared in the /V.W .\fW\. Mr. Wiudeycr having replied. His Houor'siii.l lie was ~f ..pinion that this e ; me ..usht not to he hurried on will, .-uch <-clcritv. In -rantinu postponement-, th.. ,pn-t ion rested efitirelv on the circumstances siirii.tiiidiiis/ the case. In t lie ease'if ll.ivell and Knnni. sevcnil of the witiieis,..s in eross-ciauiiimtiou were asked if tlier had wn J)r Stecl'.-t letter, anil t hey -laid tbev had not'; and although the Court liinl expressed it's disiipprobalion yf the conduct of the proprietors of the llrrnhl and Dr. Steel, he (his Honor) was of opinion tint the jurymen inthrei...- were not influenced in their decision an'atom hy Dr. Steel's letter. 1 n this ca-e however, popular eieiteir.eut was hij.li, the srtiele eoMtained in the paper iittaehoil to tin* iilli.hivits was unwarrantable in its remarks, and !ls hr helieved that the Crown would sustain no injury hv the J>ostponemrnt .if the cmse he granted the application. The witnesiM in thi« ito wer • then boinul over to appear at the next niltinj: of the Court on the 15th Norember, and the jeiisoner was remanded to gaol.