THE O'DONNELL CASE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 15081, 2 December 1919, Page 8

THE O'DONNELL CASE.

EVIDENCE FOf, THE DEFENCE. Elec. Tel. Copyright— United Press Assn.' \llstraJian a»"i K 7. rafol< 'Visunafionr ' LONDON;- ■Nove'mb'er 27. At the co.n-t-Wiartial on Father O'Doni nell, Lord Kenmare gave evidence that i ho met O'Doriiieil on his domain in Ki.!larncy on October 10. Accused -referred to his work for conscription in Australia, and stated he* was' -a- personal frierid of the Hon. W. M. Hughes. Q'Donnell was perfectly sober. . . J. Marsh, a commercial < traveller, slight' y deaf, gave oviderice that .-he met O'JJonnell at the .hotel and convei-sed tvith. him- .at : dinner. .- (".'Banned deplored the condition of the Clandicarde -estate, GaJwa'v,- compared with 'fourteen tear.? • ago. Lovd Ciandicarde and hlB class, he said, were of no use to this- or" aiiy , other country. R-eferr ng to the railway . str.-ke, lie said that Mr L.oyd 'Georie got., a. .10t of credit for', the' settle.;nent, ■ but he knew that King Geor r :e arid not ; Mr L!oyd George devserVed' the credit. • On witness referring to the Austra.ians, ' aocused said : "W<> caJfie to fight for Australia, . the Empire, and a,ll Bmai; '. nations on the earth. Itr would have I been a bad day for Austral!^ ii Germany had won, as she would hare-done if it was not for Australia'." Lieutenant Chambers at .this point interrupted'. O'ponnell • replied : "Get awa,? a'nd'mind ■yotir own damned business. '.' . Captain f Clarke said this- was -not a political ? house>. Witness . did: not remember , O'Donne-11's. reply; Later O'Doiinel. said , to^ him, "What do, you," think lot -that • ' impertinent brat?" 'Witness said, "I'm surprised you did not Tsti?ike ; him.'' Witness retiml lately • but did not see' ■ o :> Donneil aga n until tb^day; ''•;-; ' '• Marsh denied that 'O'D' dnne'll &aid. the .satellites. ,, of K.ng ' George*', tvei-e • . "fi-lling 'their pockets, etc., or *•• the. r Majesties were unpopular in this country,/ 6v* that , he -hoped to strike the comnrencem-eht of , a revoUition, etc. O'Donnell was quite sober and calm. ■'■'• ■•'■•■ ■ •..-■■'■■'■- i Cross-ex unined., witness ■•• re'ea Med the conversation when he hearer that O'Donnell hnd been aiTested, out -he'wa-s sur-" prised to learn that, the arrest con,-' nected with- "the conversation: /whereof ; he had heard every wordv -* • ''■ ■'■'■■■ ■ O'DOXXEiLL'S EtVIDENCEi.., O'Donnell, in evidence, stated that lie joined the forces' in '1917y- f after an \ earlier rejection on medical grounds. He took a keen interest in the 'war from* . the- outbreak and participated 'in all patriotic movements. • He-"' was chairman , of several committees for raising money. ' He supported conscription when lie heard from Mr Hcighes the urgjency of 1 the situation.- Accused produced Ans^ tralian , newspapers with., reference' to ( his work, and said he had always joined in the National Anthem, even' in' church! , During the -Prince of , Wales' visit ) to France ho had the honor of proposing . the toast of. the Royal guest. He chatted; i with the .Prince- about Australia.. "He i attended Sir William B.rdwood's 'fare-^ weil dinner. Accused added : ''I '.think ■ we Australians have' a good- deal, of cheek, and I asked the Prince. •to* I*-'sigh'1 *-' sigh' a. -dinner, card." He complied with' the : .request. Witness did not pretend .to be «■ teetotaller. He had 1 aemairglkss r of wine at 3 p.m. on. October 10, and walked i to Kenmade. Afterwardi he' Returned to the hotel' and conversed With • Marsh .across the- table. -fJe^ndijjjnahtly , denied the use of the'words'allegied. He •recalled tho conversation a» ' out Jtie& ' by " Marsh. He intended the reference to the King regarding; the. settling of 'the • strike as' a compliment and w-arddng off ' a terrible disaster. " 'O'Dbrinell denied that he mentioned vSinn Feihi'condi tions and the - growth of tho movement in ' Australia. ■ Ho ."admitted ■••he- told Cfoam- ! bers to mind hia own business: He ,did riot remember saying ''damned fbusi- 1 ne§9," but 'h e ought, to- Have- said) it. The President of the*Gourt suppressed the laughter and threatened to clear the Court if it were repeated. • • ■'■■■■■ ' Accused ..described the v barracks where he was imprisoned. The dirty blankets smelt badly and Were ■ unusable. There , was no firo, desp.te. ih& cold., The 1 authorities refused- to- -send 'to'}iia' r habm .for his bag,*- which contained med^cirte. 1 He was refused communication with friends. -'Sentries' witß fixed bayonets: [ were ori guard outs£d© ■ the door of his room. ' - - •-;.'- • -. .-• Mr Bodkin .. oloseJy cress-exanlined O'Donnell- with reference to the alleged seditious statements... '. ••:■.. Accused eaid he had been an Ir]sh Nat.ohalist . ever since her could 1 think. He did not believe -in; ■compietesindepen- | denco.. He., did .not .agree withth'e sentimehts which the prosecution alleged' he ; had expressed. ~ •-,.'• '<■ . . - Replying to the Presidierifc, : aecused ; said lie was never tinder, the influence of • liquor in his' life. ' <v ■.-.: EIVIDENOfI OF AGCUSiED'S ' LOYALTY.' - •'. : Several witnesses -gave ©vidfence -m-re- : gard to {jVDonntii-l's loyalty," including ' Mr Edw%rd Lucas, ' Acting Agent-Gen- ! eral;for Tasmaniay who- said" that oDbxtneJ had res-ghedi - his cliiirgß- and placed his services at the disposal <of the Com. monwealth as a eoldier aridvhadi assisted in^ the conscription campaign. Witness said O'Donnell was loyal' in-r ievery re- . spect. i - .-.. - • 'Lieutenant Marriott, an Australian officer who -had lost his. sight -through 'the waiv sad he believed ihat^CyDonnell got <■' more recruits than' any c'.ergyman of any denomination. ' - - : ' The Court, in the O'Donnell case, deliberated an hour and three-quarters. . A cr6wdod * Coiitt loodfly cheered- the vordi-ctof not guilty; and many friends ; congi'atm.ated Father GTDdnntelt; -