The Shortland Murder Case. (European Mail.)

Otago Witness, Volume 26, Issue 1705, 26 July 1884, Page 12

The Shortland Murder Case. (European Mail.)

Mr Hugh Rutherford Shortland, said to be a New Zealand barrister, who was arrested » month since in connection with the death of his wife, Laura Shortland, in April, was brought before the magistrates for the fourth time on May 31, Mr W. Grolding, one of the Solicitors to the Treasury, attended on behalf of the Public Pro»ecutor ; and Mr E. G. Bennett, solicitor, of Plymouth, defended the accused. Mr Golding, addressing the Bench, said most exhaustive inquiries had been made by Inspector Roots, of Scotland Yard, and he was bound to say very well made, and the Treasury had considered the result of his report. This tended to remove suspicion from the accused, but he thought the magistrates would agree with him that; Shortland had himself alone to thank for the position in which he had been placed, and for the course which the magistrates bad taken in remanding him, and the steps which the Treasury had taken in sifting the circumstance, which became necessary in consequence of his suspicious actions. No post-mortem examination was made before the inquest, and therefore the body had been exhumed, and the contents of the stomach submitted to Dr Dupre" for analysis. This analysis added nothing to the information which was already in- tho possession of the police, and therefore he did not propose to go any further with the case. Inspector Roots waß present, as was also the surgeon who made the examination of the body, if the Bench should desire to examine either of them. He was sure that the legal adviser of the accused must be glad the Treasury had made such an exhaustive i»quiry, as it removed the suspicion which seemed to rest around him. Mr Bennett said it was with considerable satisfaction, but without the least surprise, that he had heard the Rtatemeut of the Treasury solicitor, which did not necessitate the accused calling evidence to repel a charge, the very name of which made every hottest man shudder. It was a charge which in the boldness of innocence Mr Shortland had always repu diated, and felt that he would be able to give an indignant and positive denial to. The chairman, Mr Ilbert, said her Majesty's Treasury having adopted a course with which the magistrates present entirely acquiesced, they should direct the discharge of the prisoner.

Tlie Charge Against Lord St. Leonards.

Commenting on tho case against Lord St. Leonards, tho Daily News of May 24 says : —

Yesterday Lord St. Leonards, in spite of a very able defence of some rather weak points in the case for the prosecution, was convicted at the Central Criminal Court of assaulting a maidBervant. Taking tho evidence as a whole, the jury could have found no other verdict. The character of thepros6cutrix was not unblemished, but her evidence was corroborated, while no witnesses were called oh the other side. The offence would probably have attracted little notice if it had not been committed by a peer. No difference had to be made on that account in the mode of procedure. The right of a peer to be tried before the House of Lords if it be sitting, or by a jury of its members if it be not, is confined to felonies, and the offence of which Lord St. Leonards has been convicted is a misdemeanour. The case was not even put into the judge's list at the Old Bailey, but came before the Recorder, who pro* sides over trial of minor importance. Thus ne undesirable prominence was given to a disgraceful and ignoble crime, an act of low, unmanly brutality, for which drunkenness was the sole, and the most insufficient palliation. Most people will cordially agree with two remarks which fell from Mr Edward Clarke in his powerful speech for tho defence. They will hope with him that no such case will again be tried until the bill allowing accused persons to give evidence haß been passed, and they will regret that disgrace should have been brought upon " a name which will be honoured and respected by English lawyers so long as that law is administered, and its traditions remain." It is useless to mo^aUsg upon the scandalous conduct of a Lord .Chancellor's grandson, who might at least have learned to behave like a gentleman. There are people like Lord St. Leonards in every rank of Ijfe, and hereditary peerages will not alter human nature.