THE STOKE ORPHANAGE CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 231, 24 November 1900, Page 2

THE STOKE ORPHANAGE CASE.

BROTHER KILIAN ACQUITTED. (PBB PRESS ASSOCIATION.) 0 Wellington, November 23. 1 The second case against Brother f Kilian for an assault in the school on 1 a Maori boy, John Davis, who he is 1 alleged to have punched on the eye, is 1 proceeding in the Supreme* Court. Tho Grown prosecutor intimated that he ■ does not intend proceeding with the ' other four charges against Kilian. Kilian gave evidence on his own behalf and said he had struck Davis on one occasion as the boy had misbehaved during prayers. The weaponof punish- , ment at school was a supplejack. If , any boy refused to hold his hand out , he was struck on the back or legs till f he .did so. , £ Cross-examined by the Crown Prose ( cutor: Witness said he was the person who administered punishment to boys in cells? with a stick. While boys were locked in cells they were taken out on successive days and caned with a supple jack by him. He could not say what was the longest period for which a boy was imprisoned in the cells. He heard at the time of the commission that a , boy was imprisoned for two months. t On being pressed he admitted knowing | a boy Was imprisoned for three or four , weeks, and it was only on three or four occasions that ho used a supplejack on [ the boy, giving him four to six strokes each time. Witness denied using his fist to strike Davis,' and contradicted a suggestion that a boy named MoManamen had been taken from the cells and caned on four successive days. Boys ' had been imprisoned in the cells under | the direction of the head teacher, Bio. Loetus. 1 The jury retired at 5.38, and in ' ; less than 10 minutes came buck with a I ] verdict of " Not guilty." The accusoii ' was discharged and bail continued on | > the other charges against him, concerning which the Crown. Prosecutor wiil 1 make a statement on Monday.