CONVICTED OF PERJURY.

NZ Truth, Issue 115, 31 August 1907, Page 4

CONVICTED OF PERJURY.

_ «. THE CASE OF GRENBERG. Jury Says He Is Guilty. Gustav Grenberg, the pugnacious Russian, whose nocturnal experiences have -been responsible primarily for the publicity given to the concerns of what is known as the "two-up joint" m Wellington City, came up for his gruel m the Supreme Court yesterday, when the Czar's, humble compatriot employed solicitor Neave to extricate him from the intricate mazes of pertjury arising out of his evidence m the Lower Court when Durni and Morrow were charged . with unlawfully wounding. On that occasion "the Russ" — which is an/ affectionate abbreviation of Gustav's ordinary nickname— swore m cross-ex-amination to Mr Wilford that he had never taken a razor to a man namedl Blackmore, nor to a roomful of men m a Manners-street "school" ; that be had never fought. a man named "Snowy" Hutton at the biscuit factory, another resort of the gambler, and that he did not visit at his room Macnamara, who has figured m various cases as the proprietor of a "school." A largo number o£ witnesses were called to relate that they had seen Grenberg at the places and m the • company of people allegedly strange to the Slav. The new matter m the testimony was supplied by the seaman Melchke, who swore that two evienfegs before a person known as "the Lap," but who legally answers to the name of ElHsOn, had approached him oh behalf of Grenbierg and offered to nay his passage to Auckland to attend a boxing tournament ' there if the witness would contradict the evidence he had given m the lower Court- Also "the Lap" said be would give Melchke £1 as soon as Grenberg stepped forth ,a, froo man. An extraordinary letter was produced by counsel for the defence, which Melchke acknowledged having written at the request of Gi'enberg. It was addressed to Judge Cooper, and averred that Grenberg had consulted Chief Detective McGrath upon the propriety of answering certain questions asked .by Mr Watford m the lower Court. The letter affirmed that McGRATH HAD ADVISED GRENBERG to answer "No" to ■ any question that did not concern the charge' of assault then before the Court, and by doing so, Gremberg had committed perjury. Mr Neave asked Melchke if he had not written this effusion at the roqruest of Dunn, charged with the assault' aforesaid, but the German emphatically repeated that Grenberg was the instigator, and the letter had <been haouled to the Russian, who gave it to his solicitor. The principal basis of the defence was that Grenberg was dfunk when he flourished the razor, fought "Snowy" Hutton, and visited Macnamara's room, and, being m a state of beer, had no knowledge of the occurrences, and therefore could have no intention to mislead the Court. Mr Wilford pointed out t;hat i'n criminal law it was held that drunkenness Avas no excuse. Counsel also made much capital out of the letter of admission alleged to have been written at the instigation of the Russian. The jury eventually returned a verdict of guilty against Grenberg. Mr Neave, who appeared for the convicted perjurer, then asked Mr Justice Cooner to extend to him the provisions" of the Probation Act, but the Judge promptly declined to do so m a case of perjury, and said that for such a case the Act was never introduced. The "Russian" wns sentfjiccf' to IS months' imprisonment with hard labor.