OSCAR SLATER CASE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20290, 24 December 1927, Page 12

OSCAR SLATER CASE.

AFTER 18i YEARS IN PRISON.

APPEAL TO BE ALLOWED

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, November 19,

Oscar Slater, who was released from Peterhead Prison, Aberdeenshire, on Monday, is to be given an opportunity of appealing against his conviction in 1909 tor the murder in Glasgow of Miss Gilchrist, aged 82. Last year an Act was passed establishing a Court of Criminal Appeal for Scotland, which sits in Edinburgh, and this court will hear the appeal, subject to the passage of a short Bill in Parliament giving it power to deal with this special case. In the House of Commons the Secretary for Scotland {Sir John Gilmourj said it would only be possible in the state of parliamentary business to proceed with the Bill if it could Oe passed by general consent and without discussion. It will be necessary, if the case is to come before the Court of Criminal Ap peal, for Slater himself to petition for a free pardon. The court will then be asked to report whether the verdict if the jury should be set aside on 'he "'round that it was unreasonable or -annnt be supported having regard to *he evidence, or whether the judgment of the court before whom the appellant was convicted should be set aside if there was on mv grounds a miscarriage of justice. This procedure will enable the Court of Criminal Appeal to summon before them any witnesses at the original trial whether they were, or were not, called on that occasion. The court may also, if they think fit, receive the evidence, if tendered. of any witness, including the appellant. who is a competent, but not compellable, witness.

When released Slater travelled to Glasgow with the Rev. E. P. Phillips, his rabbi friend, with whom he stayed for -> few days. Slater has now Liken up secret quarters in another part if the city, which have not yet been disclosed. The reason for the change that Slater is said to ha.ve declared he must have rest, and does not want to appear in the limelight of public discussion. SIR A. COXAN DOYLE’.S LETTER. On the day when he was informed of his impending release Slater received the following letter from Sir A. Conan Dovle :

“ Dear Oscar Slater.—This is to say, in my wife’s name and my own, how grieved we have been at Hie infamous in justice whirl, you have suffered at the hands of our officials. Your only nonr consolation can he that vour fate, if we can got people to realise t. may have the effect of safeguarding thors in the future. W'f, will still work 'n the hop of getting an inquire into these iirnuitie and eventually, as I hope. nun rompnu sal ion fr.j-- your own underserver) suffer, ing.”