A SOLICITOR STRUCK OF THE ROLLS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1163, 15 June 1894, Page 42

A SOLICITOR STRUCK OF THE ROLLS

Mr Fisher appeared ott behalf of tho Canterbury District Law Society at the Court of Appeal on tho 28th ult. in support of a motion to make absolute a decree nisi striking off the rolls Alfred John Burgess, a Christchurch solicitor. Mr Burgess was not represented. Mr Fisher said that Burgess had been convicted at tho last sittings of the Supremo Court at Christchurch with conspiring to extort money out of a person by threatening to accuse him of an abominable offence. He had been sentenced to a term of imprisonment. Burgess had practically admitted the truth of tho matters charged against him in the indictment, and he had not said he had been wrongfully convicted. The Chief Justice said there seemed to be no reason for supposing that the verdict of the jury was not supported by the evidence Of course, the fact that there was no appearance to oppose the motion made it unnecessary for their Honors to give|very much consideration to the evidence. He was satisfied this person should be struck oft" the roll. Mr Justice Denniston said that as tho case was tried before him, he might explain that it was a case in which there could not be at any stage of the proceedings any doubt as to the guilt of tffe accused. Burgess admitted having been consulted practically with the view of obtaining money from the person against whom tho charge of an abominable offence was to be made, with having written a letter to him and with having obtained money from him through threatening to make the charge. Of course his plea was that it was in the interests of justice he wrote the letter threatening exposure. This plea was evidently framed with a view to coming within the cases on this point, and had it been proved ho would have been acquitted. Although ho was only charged with the misdemeanour of conspiring it was in order that the other parties assisting in the conspiracy might be tried with him. In sentencing Burgess he took into consideration the fact that he must necessarily be removed from tho rolls;

A scree ?iisi ordered to bo made absolute.