AN M-P.'S EXPERIENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13501, 27 July 1907, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN M-P.'S EXPERIENCE.

EFFECT OF A DRUG.

Tin; Tower Bridge Police Court was crowded when Mr. Rose heard the charge, of drunkenness against Mr. Burnyeat, the member for Whitehaven. Mr. Burnyeat was only charged with drunkenness, and not with failing to appear on the morning after his arrest. Mr. A. A. Tokin. K.C., and Mr. F. E. Smith, M.P., appeared'for the defence. . Mr. William John Burnyeat, who is 33 years of age, was educated at Rugby and Corpus Christ! College, Oxford, and is a Master of Arts. He was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1899, and is a county magistrate and a member of the Reform Club. Police Constable 195 L said that about eig& o'clock on the evening of May 30 he found the defendant near Waterloo station drunk. He took him into custody. He walked part of the way. Every now and then he commenced to sway ami stagger. Ultimately he was put on the ambulance. He was charged at Cannon Row Police Station, and said, "I made a fool of myself." The police constable was not cross-exam-ined. In a long address to the magistrate Mr. Tobin intimated that there would not be the, slightest conflict of evidence between the statement of the police and the statement of Mr. Burnyeat. The defendant desired him to say that he was even grateful to the police for taking him in charge for his protection and safety. Apparently they honestly believed that his condition was due to intoxication. • ■>■'■-, MR. BURXYEAT's EVIDENCE. In his- evidence Mr. Burnyeat said: "On May 29 I was at Whitehaven with my family. I received a telegram from my clerk concerning a case in which I was acting as counsel, I had, therefore, to travel all night. . Arriving at Euston, early next morning I drove to Garland's Hotel in Suffolk-street, Pall Mall. After breakfast I felt in pain, and took some chlorodyne. Mr. Smith: Have you been in the habit of taking chlorodyne? Mr. Burnyeat: Certainly not. It was in the house at Whitehaven, and was a household remedy. Continuing, Mr. Burnyeat said, " The pain continued throughout the day till I became unconscious. After breakfast I had no solid food of any kind. I continued to take the chlorodyne throughout the day. Earlier in the day—before onu o'clock—l • finished one partly-consumed bottle of chlorodyne and then began a new one. In the afternoon I had a consultation with Mr. Younger, K.C., and Mr. Pollock. I was in pain then. Afterwards I went to. my chambers and wrote several letters. Upon leaving chambers I met a Mr. Foster, another barrister." Mr. Smith: By this time how much of the second bottle had you used? Mr. Burnyeat: There was very little left. WHISKY AND CHLORODYNE. After leaving Mr. Foster I had another attack of pain, and used all that remained of the chlorodyne. That would be about 6.15 p.m. I walked towards Trafalgar Square. Pas-sing along Aldwych I became aware that I had taken too much chloro- [ dyne. I had a sinking feeling, and in order to counteract the effects of the opium I I had two small whiskies and sodas. 1 wanted to get back to my hotel as quickly as possible. I can remember boarding the 'bus. My next recollection was waking up ! in the police cell in Kennington Road. Mr. Rose: Where were you going to on the 'bus? Mr. Burnyeat: I was aiming in the direction of the hotel. . How long were you having the whiskies? "Not long," explained Mr. Burnyeat. "It would be about half-past six when I got on the 'bus." In answer to Mr. Smith Mr. Burnyeat said he had a recollection of a few outstanding tilings that took place at the poli ice station. He remembered a desk, and a a room, and an inspector. He had not the slightest recollection of signing anything. A hansom was called and he thought he get in. His impression was that the whole thing was over. IX THE MOBXIXG. : Mr. Smith: How did you feel next morning? ■ ' Mr. Burnyeat: My tongue felt very hard and swollen. I knew I had been in the police cell, but I did not know the district in London in which I had been. I had a week-end engagement at Liverpool. I arranged to go by the 5.55. I had arranged for all my luggage to be sent to the station. In the hansom I saw a newspaper. On the way to the train I made up my j mind to go back and appear in the morn- - ing at the court■ mentioned?in the paper. Had ] I thought I had been told to appear I : would have done so. From things in my ; pocket I could easily have been identified. Mr. Smith: I ask you, did you at any time authorise any statement to the press? " I never authorised such statement at all," was the reply. To Mr. Rose the defendant said he remembered taking hold of the omnibus quite well. He did not know how he got to Waterloo station. From what he gathered he acted automatically. He might have gone to the square, and so to the station, in another 'bus. Several expert witnesses, including Dr. Papper, the. analyst, were called to prove that the effect of the morphine poisoning was first excitement and then torpor. Dr. Papper added that the effect of the two .glasses of Whisky and soda would ■ be to aggravate tiie condition brought about by the chlorodyne. . Several witnesses were also called, including members of the Bar and members of the House of Commons, amongst whom were Mr. Leif Jones, M.P., and the Recorder of Preston, to prove that they had known Mr. Burnyeat for many years, and considered him the very last person to go to excess in the matter of alcohol. Mr. Rose, in, giving his decision, said that he had been struck by the evidence of the defendant, and his frank admission of the two glasses of whisky and soda. He had given a very reasonable account of proceedings during the day as far as he could. He had been arrested for being drunk, but he (the magistrate) thought that the evidence tended to show that he was not drunk, and the case was dismissed.