ANOTHER SULLIVAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3949, 9 July 1874, Page 1 (Supplement)

ANOTHER SULLIVAN.

The Melbourne Tckgraph says:—As our great Australian bushranger, Gardiner, will shortly be en route for England—where, as we learn to-day, the New Zealand murderer, Sullivan, has already proceeded—it wi.'l be interesting to the British public to know on what representation lie is allowed to make the voyage home. The papers have just been laid before the Sydney Parliament, and they give lniny interesting particulars. Mrs. Griffith, and Mrs. Cole, Gardiner's two sisters, are the petitioners, and their conviction that their brother is a reformed character is, doubtless sincere. We have also to record Dr. MoiTatt's , opinion that Gardiner has "lost that peculiar ferocity" wnich originally characterised, bin* —so that the rural highways, or Piccadilly ia a fog, w'Al not sec our representative robber at his best. The Rev. J Eckford declares that Gardiuer deeply regrets liis former I: fe, and the Rev. T. O'lleilly adds that Gardiner's sisters train up their children ia tke fear of God—which is gratinying, although slightly inconsequential. English readers have an interest also in the following official statement :—"Particulars of conviction and prison history of Francis Clarke, a prisoner in DarHnghurst gaol, petitioning for remission of sentence : —Name of prisoner—Francis Clarke alias Christie alias Gardiner ; birthplace and age —New -South Wales, fortythree ; where convicted—Sydney Criminal Court; when convicted—lth and Sth July, ISG-1; offence —wounding with intent to do grevtous bodily harm and robbery, beiii" armed (two oU'euees); years' roads (first two in irons), ten years' roads at expiration of iirst sentence, and seven years.' roads at expiration of second sentence (in all thirty-two years) ; Judge—Chief Justice. Previous convictions—As Francis Clarke, Goulburn Circuit Court, 17th March, 1554 ; horse-stealing; fourteen years' roads." In the opinion of the late Chief Justice, Sir Alfred Stephen, Gardiner '' most unrighteous* ly" escaped hanging, the more particularly as three of his subordinates were actually executed for crimes perpetrated under his tuition, and he states this in ;i minute dated SOtli November, IS7-, in very stout language j but Sir Hercules itobmson has his own view of the matter, and appends a foot note to this very document—" 1 have already decided to grant a conditional pardon at the termination of ten years' imprisonment. H. K., 7-12-72." For our part it is not the pardon to which we object, but the conditions. Instead of bargaining with Gardiuer to go into exile, Sydney has no right to release her pet rullian unless on the faithful promise never to "stick up" anywhere except in New South Wales.