TIMARU CRIMINAL SUTINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2622, 15 June 1904, Page 49

TIMARU CRIMINAL SUTINGS.

THE MATE OF THE WAIWERA ACQUITTED.

TIMARU, June 10. The Supreme Court criminal sessions wero concluded this afternoon. In the charge of manslaughter against J. C. Musteis, first officer of the Waiwera, of causing the ueatli of the boatswain (James Turner) in port at Timaru, the jury, after a retirement of five hours, returned a verdict of ''Not guilty." The pio-ecution alleged that £'Cous(-'d knocked the man down without .sufficient leason, and wlion ho was getting up knocked him over again, and that as a result of one of thc=e blows the man's head struck some haid projecting object and fractured the baso of til 0 " skull. A large number of -witnesses aisrrted that they eav/ tv, o blows, while others saw only one, and generally there was a great conflict of evidoneo regarding wha-t happen-ed within the space of 10 becoiuU. In summing up Mr Justice Williams directed special attention tn the medical evidence .vlneh showed that there was 'only one mark of a blow on the face, fnd only one mark of injury from the fall. Musters was rushed with congratulations oa being discharged. J. H. Gardner, owuftr of a ske-eg acoosa-

mediation paddock, thaiged with stealing a sh. ep left behind by a drover, was pcquitled. Tho defence was the existence of the custom "V practice for paddock-owners to kill sheep so left, and account for them if called upon to do so. .The chief witness for the in-ose-cution admitted that such wa 5 the u?age, but sheepmen dad not lecognise it. The jury added a rider to iU verdict advising sheepowners to make paddock owners acquainted with tho law on the subject. J H. Waki field, un eld offender, was sentenced to ono year for fonrery, uttwing. and false pretences. James .Stapleton, another oM offender, jecehe<d two years for robbery from the person.

For tho fir.-t time in history, it is said, a leper will be ordered from a lazaretto completely cured. The Louisiana Lepers' lie me at Indian Camp. New Orleans, will discharge ono of its patients, a Creole boy a native of New Orleans, aged 15 years, who has been afflicted with leprosy for four years, and who has beon under treatment at Indian Camp for nearly two years. When he wont to the asylum his body was the colour of eoifee and covered with leprous uloer?. His face was blotched and puckered up with open sores. He hael no eyebrows nor eyelashes. Now he is clean to look at, his face is clear with a slight tcuch of colour, his eye is clear instead of glassy, and he has regained control of his facial mvscle*. Five more patients are on tl.-j road to recovery, and will bo discharged within a year. It; is said the treatment which has caused such results is nothing new, but simply the ptersistent application of v treatment used for leprosy sinco the wcrld begon. The only difference in the Louisiana Home is that the disease has been treated steadily, systematically, and ocrjatantly. Absolute cleanliness, pure food, and pleasant surroundings as far as possiblo are provided.