SLATER'S ACQUITTAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16704, 23 July 1928, Page 7

SLATER'S ACQUITTAL

AFTER 19 YEARS' AGONY QUESTION OF COMPENSATION ißlec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn. "(Australian and N.Z. Press Associanou LONDON, July 21. The dramatic clearance of Oscar .Slater's name m the same court in which 19 years ago he was sentenced to death has few parallels in Hie history of'British justice. Compensation on a generous scale will bo given Slater according to competent authorities. Sums varying from £15,000 to £20,000 are mentioned, but at present any'figure is merely speculaLion. The Home Secretary and the Secretary for Scotland will hold consultations with law officers and other members of the Government before any recommendation is brought before Cabinet. The newspapers insist that the compensation mist be commensurate with the great agony endured, though they unanimously admit it is almost impossible adequately to compensate Slater. It, is pointed but that Adolphe Beck, wrnnglv sentenced to seven years gaol in 1895. was awarded £SOOO. * Sir Arthur Conan Doyle says he'hopes that the responsible officials who refused lor years to do anything in the matter will be sharply pulled up. Mr. Ramsay Mae Donald states that the whole case fills one with horror. It is clearly the duty of! the Government to compensate fully. Slater was present in the public gallery when the decision was given. His sole thought when he realised what the judgment meant was almost io run from court. He listened intently, not betraying emotion, resting his head on his left arm. As the Lord Chief Justice read the unanimous verdict of acquittal, he kept a piercing gaze on the judge un'.'•alteringiy. It was. not till the final paragraphs of the judgment that the decision was apparent. When it finished Slater stood up suddenly, his face livid with red patches. It seemed he did not at first realise, what it meant. Then he hurried out. brushing aside those trying to congratulate him