AN EXPLANATION.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1939, 22 March 1875, Page 2

AN EXPLANATION.

. (To the Editor of the Evening Star.) Sißj—WiUjrou kindly allow ipaceJn your paper to invert 4 the following with reference to a case heard lately m the Police Court at Shprtland, and m ; which I am sorry to say* I'was'the* victim.'.'* I was; charged with paling a .wash-hand basin from one Bitehie, to which charge I pleadefc:aot guilty. £ was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. If I had had am Opportunity, ■' I shoiild hareibeen^ able to prove my innocence; but, as I was^ arrested about' an {hour or', two '< hours before I was put in the dock,, I was unable to do so, and'hating no knowledge of law courts I,consider myself totally undefended: The Ritchie family and my own have lived on very friendly terms for year*, and as neighbors we obliged eacH other . in the loan of any little article, which either might jr«quire. Mrs* Bitchie'and her children have been in,, the .hajbat-of borrowing from my place whether of not I was at home;; any article they required. I, on the other hand, often.: in the same manner borrowed articles from her (and no complaint made) which jdwavs . returned by me, Bach -was. the friendship existing between us. However, 1 athort time since Mrs Bitchie left here for Ohinemuri,, leaving her daughter in charge of her place here. Now the daughter and I have always been on the best of terms. One day I sent my daughter over to Bitchie's to borrow a washhand basin which I had often borrowed before, and in case of absence without asking permission, but. in all casM was it returned until the last, when Miss Bitchie was absent.. Detective Brennan came to my place and asked me if the basin was mine. Never dreaming that I had done any wrong, and on the spur of "the moment, I said '"yes," but;! corrected myselt and laid it belonged to Mrsßitchie. Upon this Brennan took the basin away from me, arid I^neard nothing more about the matter until I was arrested, tried and'sentonced, and all within two hours; and without a chance of defending myself. If Mrs Bitchie had:been here, or had I iiad an opportunity to employ a solicitor, to deftna me, the case would have been diiFerent, but as it was the Chief of the Police almost dictated to the Bench what "they rwer%.^

to do. 74t defy the police or any person on the Thames to speak •gainst my character. I .think it disgraceful that a woman who has been earning an honest liviog on the field should be persecuted in the manner that I have been lately. The facts were plain that there wag no intention of stealing the article, bat as there were Justices of the Peace upon the Bench, who took the advice of th« Police, I became the victim. I hare a large family to support, which I am doing to the best of my ability, and it appears to me nothing more nor. less than an attempt to take the bread out of my children's mouths, to, be treated as I have been, and so unjustly —Yours Ac, - - Bbiggkt Weston. -