SENTENCES ANNULLED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14800, 6 April 1910, Page 4

SENTENCES ANNULLED

SEQUEI TO HIGH TREASON TRIAL.

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright r VIENNA, April 4.. The Croatian Supreme Court annulled the sentences on the 5-3 persons who were fried some months bade at Agram' for high treason, on the ground that tho evidence was insufficient to justify the charges.

After extending over a period of seven months ,tho trial of 53 Servians, charged with being concerned in a " Pan-Servian conspiracy,' was brought to a conclusion on October 5. ...•■..

Adam and Valerian Pribicevitch were condemned to 32 years' rigorous imprisonment. Sentence of death. was not passed on (hem. it was announced, owing to lack of unanimity among the judges. Twentynine other prisoners received sentences of rigorous imprisonment varying from four to seven years, whilo 22 persons wore acqnjtted. The accused gave notice of appeal, as did also tho Public' Prosecutor The prisoners incriminated in this l ex traordmary trial included chiefly small tradesmen, farmers, peasants, priests, and schoolmasters. Some were mere lads, others middle-aged men, whoso familos have been reduced to absolute penury while the interminable trial proceeded, for just a year had elapsed sincb the arrests were made "A useless scandal" was tho term the TriiLY £ ho The evidence for the Crown consisted largely ir denouncing the prisoners for wearing cufF-hnb or usng tea-cups decorated with the Servian colours. The chief ;u c r\vh aS » Awtnan wy named Nastitcn, who had practised as an "agent provocateur." The manner in which the trial was conducted was denounced in the Austrian Pa - \TZ n V dl W™" The witness for the defence were not heard, counsel were fined time a ter time for protesting against tho procedure, and the prisoner were constantly sentenced to 24 and 48 hours confinement without or food oxifc™ 11 * *n under .«£