EDALI'S RELEASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13355, 8 December 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

EDALI'S RELEASE.

The secret of the conflicting reports with regard to Edalji, who was sentenced in 1903 for cattle maiming at Great Wrrley, is that the police obtained a promise from him not to make any public appearand until October 26. He was released from Pentonville prison on October 16. As at present arranged, however, lis must report himself periodically until the expiration of his sentence.

He came to London and had a long interview with Mr. Yelverton, who acted as bis counsel during the trial. He had no complaint to make of his- treatment during the three years he has been in prison, and he looked* in good health. For a {-art of the term he was engaged in the tailoring department. His indignation at his conviction, which he still maintains was a gross miscarriage of justice, is unabated.

Mr. Yelverton informed a press iepre« seutative that tie.- movement to establish Mi. Edalji's innocence will continue.

In Mr. Edalji's pocket when he was released was £2 19s KM, earned by him as D 462. He is now 30 years old, and appears quite well and strong. Mrs. Edalji. his mother, joined him after his release at one of the Church Array offices, ami took him to the lodging she had -prepared for his reception. To a Dailv Chronicle representative Mi. Edalji said that after having been a short time at Stafford prison he went 00 to Lewes, where he spent five months. Thence hi was sent to Portland for the remainder of the three years. All the officials were kindness itselfexcept, perhaps, at Lewes, where the regime was severe.

Remarking on his greatest trial, he ."aid—"On the last day of a prisoner's term of penal servitude he is isolated in his cell. On the Monday I was entirely alone. I think that solitary day tried me more than anything else — owork. no exercise. As to'the rest, for nearly three years 1 hare been picking, or rather combing coir, which is used for stuffing pillows ami mattresses. 1 saw the magazines, read Mis. Henry Wfciod, Scott, Dickens, and I polished up my French a hit. There were, no law bookt'i Ix« had. Of course, there are small points with which 1 intend to deal in my forthcoming pamphlet. But, generally speaking. 1 have mi grievance against the police, except that at Cannock, on my arrest, they put me into a dark, dirty cell, that was furnished with neither bell nor

gas." He went through the usual routine; was photographed -twice once shaven and ones with a beard; had his finger-prints taken: ami was sent up to London to have his eyesight tested. -One of his chief points against the conviction was that he did not know the field at Great Wyrley where the horse was wounded on August 17, 1903. and his eyesight was so bad that on the night lie could not have found his way along the paths and over the stiles which separate that part of Wyrley .from the high load. "After my conviction," ho continued, "I requested the Home Office to have my eyes examined, and eventually this was done. Twenty-one 'months ago 1 was brought up to IVntonville. The doctor would not tell me his name, and very little about the stale of my eyes, beyond the fact that they were slighly myopic." Referring to another point, Mr. Kualji said that on August 18, 1903, the morning after the. outrage, the police went' to 'the vicarage and asked for his clothes. They were shown a coat.- a vest, a pair of trousers, and a pair of boots. Inspector Campbell looked at the coat, and on the lower part of it pointed out horsehairs. When he. went for a walk on the night of the 1/th he was not wearing that coat, and whilst at the time this outrage must have be.m committed it was raining that coat was perfectly dry. The police-surgeon. Dr. Butter, decided that the. coat bore horsehair. *" "'

The ex-convict complains that Inspector Campbell did not caution him when asking for a statement., In Ids pamphlet he would deal with the. evidence of the handwriting expert, Gurrin; the fact 'that the anonymous letters stopped within about a fortnight of his arrest; "that it could be shown from the letters that the writer was 'aware that he was being watched by the police: and that the last two letters were posted on a day he spent at Aberystwith. He concluded the interview by stating his intention of staying in London for six months. Being on ticket-of-leave, he had reported himself that day at Scotland Yard, and then at the police fetation nearest to his present address. Mr. G. K. T. Edalji is the eldest son of the Rev. Shapurji Kdalji. vicar of Great Wyrley. He was admitted a solicitor with many honours in 1898."-and began to practise in Birmingham. "in 1902 the family began to receive a number of extraordinary anonymous letters, and in 1903 began the series of outrages on cattle, for one of which Edalji was convicted.