Judge and Prohibitionist.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12253, 12 May 1903, Page 5

Judge and Prohibitionist.

SUPREME -.COURT SCENE. ACCUSATION OF BTAS. i * ; Per Press Association. 1 Auckland, May 11. | W. Richardson, who is charged with having published a defamatory libel, created a scene in the Supreme Court. Ite stated that two constables had sent Judge Conolly a copy of tfte paper containing the comment of hia Honor's decision in the Bewes divorce case, which would prejudice his Honor in trying the present case, if he were^ human. Mr Justice Conolly said he bad not seen the article referred to, and ;io one had attempted to bias him. Accused : " I want an absolutely unbiased trial." His Honor : Do you say you will not get an unbiased trial at my hands ? Accused : "I want to be quite sure." His Honor : H©w-? Aixmsed : By having a Judge on the Bench whom I have not criticised. I think I will be able to show you that you have shown some bias." Accused, continuing, said that Justice Conolly, in his charge to the Grand Jury, commented on the fact -that the newspapers of this colony had escaped the law of libel. His Honor : I said the newspapers were, as a rule, conducted by discreet editors and proprietors, and that they I did not publish libels. Accused : The innuendo is that my ; newspaper s one that has brought | itself under the law. His Honor : I can take no notice of '. that. Accused said he visited Judge Conolly's residence to see his coachman on* political' matters, when one of i Judge- Conolly's daughters— His Honor : (warmly) : I won't have my daughter's name mentioned in this Court.

! His Honor (warmly) : You shall 'not do so, and I shall not permit it. i This is most disgraceful. Accused persisted whereupon Justice Conolly said he would have accused taken below and locked up if he insulted his daughter. Accused said he would state that he .dropped all- reference to the judge's daughter, but persisted in reading from a newspaper despite His "Honor's protest that it was irregular. His Honor ordered the police to lock accused in the cells until he was in a better frame of mind. The police thereupon, seized -accused by JUs Honor's order, and took the paper from him. * Accused : Do you call this justice ? f will /go below ; till the day I die, so long as I get' a fah>vtrial.. JJ He twitted the judge with having his decision in the Bewes case reversed. His Honor said he had made a mistake in a point of law. Accused said tho Bewes case showed that His Honor was a man of strong peculiarities. Why did His Honor wire to her as to the case ? His Honor : Because it was my duty ? Accused's plea was then takeu. Tha Crown Prosecutor was ready to reply, but accused asked for a remand to further prepare his argument, and the case was remanded accordingly.