THE WINDHAM CASE—FINDING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 149, 8 May 1862, Page 6

THE WINDHAM CASE—FINDING

OF TILE JURY. The extraordinary inquiry into the state 01 mind of Mr. W. F. Windham, of Felbrifig, was brought to a close on the 30th of Jannary. It- had extended over no fewer than thirtyfour days. Tie verdict of the jury declared the young inau to be perfectly Bane. Thure is another battle still to be fought, the Lordß Justices being empowered to order or refuse any payment of costs. By the custom of the court they should be paid out of the. estate, but a power exists to modify thia arrangement. The enormous expense incurred in the investigation lately closed has been a subject of of general cbminent. It is supposed that it will cost nearly £30,000 ! The sum is quite possible. -The fees to the jury alone, ■ twentytwo of them at three guineas a day f»r thirty four days, will - amount to £•23513- The counsel and solicitors must have absorbed thousands, the .witnesses tens of thousands. The two leading banisters (Sir Hugh Oairne for. Mr. Windham and Mr. M. Chambers for the petitioners) are understood each to have received 50 guinras a dar, whien alone would amount to |£3570 ! The fees t the six or eight medical men called will be no mean item.. But the reckless waste of money incurred: in the production of witnesses seems almost incredible. One was summoned from St. Petersburg to prove literally nothing ; another only deposed to what had already been proved twice before—namely, that Mr. Windham had told him he had once acted as a policeman ; and this witness was asserted in open court to have cost £100 ! Nearly four hundred witnesses were Buinmoned, and, though only some one hundred and forty were examined, doubtless all had to some extent to be paid for. Never waa there such wanton waste ; we say wanton, "because we-Venture to assertthat upon the testimony of five or six' witinesses on either side, and oh that atone, dicl every one of the j;iry make' up hi-:mlnd as to his verdict. The most 'important witness of all, the alleged lunatic himself, was not exomined till Jthe very last by the jury^. The examination, though a very searching and irritating one, is said to have been gone .through by the young gentleman with excellent temper and without the slightest difficulty. It was performed in private, according to Mr. Warren's decision, although Sir H. Cairns, on Mr. Windham's behalf, protested strongly against that course," The announcement of the verdict in the court was received with tremendous applause by the croud present. ■