Peculiar Charges.

Otago Witness, Issue 1585, 8 April 1882, Page 24

Peculiar Charges.

| »■>•'. |t 'Wbstpobt, April 4th. • iThb long.pendmg caMes 1 , Welch 'V. Eugene O'qonnor/lJofih^'Oick, J/oh'n Gihonjore, arid ;wm&mM''Lj3an^ charged J&a&jm,' September,, ,is7B,jby a- forged, deed, they, did attempt to ; defraud 'Jahies Johnston of £150;* has been' •finisljedJ James JohriSton* deposed that the deed! was 'a forgery, and 'that' his signature.' 'also {those of William ' PittV, solicitor, and 'Leonard, Reid, soliciiJor^also upon the 'fleeq as attesting witnesses); were forgeries; anji unlike the broper'" signatures. „'S ydney Welch, informant, ( gave similar ' evidenced Leonard Fre'ewitU Reid, solicitor^ Timaru,' deposed ( that' 'he prepared the deed, arid Johnston's signature 'was iriade in' His presence' and that' pf 'O'Connof'and'others, afterthe'eont'eritshad been properly examined. ' After several bther'witnesses ' had /been Keard^ -Mr Hasleden, solicitor ' for ' accused^ 'stated that ' it was "absurd 'to address the Court in defence. 'He, would simply'ask' Mr Revell,' RiM., to dismiss ;the information'^ and commit Welch and ' /Johriston for wilful perjury. , Mr Revell then discharged the accused, and ordered Welch and Jbhristoriirito'custodyfor perjury; He 'stated that 'the charge was utterly, groundless, arid commented on the fact that Johnston had completely altered the 'signatures 'since the, deed was signed. " ' , , ■ Johnston 'v; Edward George Briton Moss, solicitor, Auckland, a separate charge of forging the same deed, was finished to-day. 'The eVidence was similar to'! the above, excepting that' Johnston stated , he believed the deed, to be in Moss' writing arid riot Reid's, ! and' so laid an information against Moss. ( In dis- ' missirig ' the v 'informaiii6ri,TV[r'' Revell said .the' evidence in the case • 'completely vindicated ' Mose, whobne said' left the'Court' without any stain, and it was" a riiatter of 'great regret that this case should have been the means of dragging a' 'solicitor "from so great a distance as Tauranga.' - ' . ■ The perjury case against Johnston m this matter is finished, 'and Johnston ' haß been committed for trial.' ' Great interest was taken in the case. ' '