A POLITICIAN'S "PAST."

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 309, 30 December 1914, Page 6

A POLITICIAN'S "PAST."

The joke a bout; the “honest lawyer” is nowadays eclipsed ’by the “politician without a past.” * Here, is the interesting, not to say annoying, experience of an Australian parliamentarian :—Mr Thomas Walker, of Western Australia* has just-figured ns plaintiff in an interesting libel suit. Mr*Walker, who is the West Australian Attor-ney-general, laid a charge of criminal libel against Mr A. Hayward, the editor of a publication called the Cygnet. In the matter complained of it was suggested that Mr Walker had been indicted for a criminal offence in Canada, that he had made a. liyihg.hy telling fortunes, and that a copy of the New South Wales Hansard containing an Assembly, debate on Walker’s case had been taken from the Peyth Parliamentary Library. Mt Walker was some years ago a figure in New South Wales politics. When the case came before the court, Mr Hayward apologised fully and withdrew all the suggestions contained in the article. The apolpgy was accept, ed, and the complaint was formally withdrawn. Mr Walker went into the witness box to clear up the Canadian canard. He said tfiat.when on a farm iu Toronto, in 1874 (he was 16 years of age then), ;J he and a spiritualistic friend named , Saunders attended a seapee. Afterwards they bought some phosphorus to try a. “medium,” whom they took into a bedroom at a hotel. Walker scribbled on a sheet of paper with phosphorus. The paper took fire, and so did the table and floor. Saunders was 'scorched in helping to extinguish jthe flames and went to see a doctor, landlord of the hotel made a row with Walker, who next day sailed for Epgland, having hooked a passage preyiously. Three weeks later Walker learned that Saunders had died of tetanus. At the inquest, at which no one, .present knew anything about the facts, the jury ,x*eturned a verdict that Saunders had died from burns received in extinguishing a fire ignited-by one -Walker-fof the purpose of deception as a spiritualistic ihedium, -and that the said Walker-had thereby feloniously caused the death of Sauridcrs. Shortly afterwards Walker borrowed his passage money and returned to Canada. He wrote to the chief of police at Toronto, stating that there was a case against him h'e" was* perfectly ready to stand his trial. He received no reply, and was in Canada two years after this. He was a believer in spiritualism till 23 yeafis of age, when he abandoned the’ belief. Alexander Dowie sued him (Walker) in Mel. bourne for libel, and the Saunders affair was brought up'x He‘ had to fight that : battle over .again. When he got intp the New South Wales Parliament a political opponent, Sir Henry Parkes, communicated with Canada, with the view of getting Walker extradited, but afterwards was sorry for his action. Mr Walker hopes that he has now heard the last of the Canadian affair of the unfortunate Saqnders.