STRANGE BROWNING CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19833, 31 December 1927, Page 10

STRANGE BROWNING CASE.

NO EFFORT TO SAVE GIRL. MEN TRIED AND ACQUITTED. [STROM 1 OUB OWN COKBESPONEENT-] VANCOUVER. Deo. 1. Canadians' sense of justice has been given a severe shock by the direction of a Criminal Court Judge at Seattle, in the trial of two mom for manslaughter, that they "were not legally bound to save a drowning girl. The facts are that a wealthy man held a wild party on his yacht in Lake Union. Eight people at the party included a voung music and dancing teacher of Seattle, aged 20. Toward midnight, according to the evidence, she decided to leave for home. In stepping off the yacht's gangway, she fell into the water. One of the men, seeing her fall, gave the alarm, and, on descending to the water, could see no trace of the girl. The owner of the yacht, according to a woman who was present at the party, notified the members of the party that they had better say nothing of tho incident, and that it was to be undersood that he was not present at the party. No attempt was made to save the girl, although there were boats in the vicinity and help could have been forthcoming had their crews been notified. The case aroused wide interest, in view of the fact that two reputedly wealthy men were charged with manslaughter. After the trial nad continued for some days, he Judge directed the jury to bring in a verdict of aot guilty, as the two men were not, he said, legally bound to- -make any attempt to save the girl.. The men were acquitted..