TROTTER MURDER TRAIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15233, 21 February 1913, Page 7

TROTTER MURDER TRAIL.

■;■'■•"'■:' ■'."''".';' ".' i<d>- '.'■■'''.'mm Thompson, acquetted: i' .' ' ■•'•..''■ '■.:■-.•■.'.•: :-.'.:"'-. : :': ; >-'v/■;''■■..,-.■;.• ~; ;; ;;:i ; >- |, CROWD CHEERS. yERDKSE, < By Telegraph.—Press ■■ ■ AssochitloD—ObpjTigMu* ■■£. -. CBeceived February .20, 9.50 . pjn.) IS ■ Melbourne, February 20. The trial of Harold Thompson in conneo* • tion with the Trotter murder case was concluded to-d.*y. Chief Justice Madden, in summing, tip s • said that if the jury was satisfied that the > finger-prints .on the window sill r wore'.;,l;-. Thompson's, .they : were at liberty to con".- ; '" vict him of murder. ''• It appeared, said His Honor, that) accused ; was in the Post Office Hotel, which! ijj : ' was in the neighbourhood where the traA . ;:; gedy took place, until eleven that night. ' | Accused said that he then took a, train to; i town. If so, one would have thought ha■■* isi would have been able' to call someone who*/ j saw him. The corroborative circnrnstan<3es,< ..■':: though slight, were 'not without ' signifw ' ■':'■■ cance. V • ' .'"' 0 : ,/>..:- ; " ' ' ' :L -;*'' y -

The jury, "after a. four-hours' retirements. returned a verdict of not guilty. ■ The crowd , outside cheered the and escorted Thompson down the obtest*. ■ cheering as they went. • • : "

CONTEMPT OF COURT.

NEWSPAPER TOED. ~

'(Received February -21, 1.10 a.itt.) - •;•• r - Melbourne, February S!Q, The editor of the Age was fined £10 ancE the publisher £1 for . contempt of Court ■;'• in connection with a paragraph published -\ during the .trial of Thompson, in which ...' it • was stated "that finger .prints could be? • faked, reproduced with a rubber and used to the detriment of the prisoner.;;;!,:," A second paragraph staled that the jury} , was the most befogged jury that had ever; ■ eat in the Court. This/ Chief Justice Mads den • said, ; .though not in good taste, was! not contempt of Court., .