SUPREME COURT SENSATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7702, 11 May 1903, Page 3

SUPREME COURT SENSATION.

PRISONER Y. JUDGE.

[Per Press Associatioh.] AUCKLAND, May 11.

Richardson, charged with having published a defamatory libel, oreated a scene in the Supreme Court this inarming. He stated that two oonstables had sent Mr Justice Conolly a copy of the accuseds paper, containing comment of his Honor's decision in the Bews divorce ease, which Avould prejudice his Honor in trying the present case, if he were human. Mr Justice Conolly said he had not seen the 'article referred to, and no one had attempted to bias him. The accused: I Avant an absolutely unbiased trial. His Honor : Do you say you will not get an unbiased trial at my hands? Accused : I want tto be sure. His Honor i Hoav? Accused: By having a judge on the Bench whom. I have not criticised. I think I will be able to show that you have snown some bias. Accused! said Mr Justice Conolly, in his- charge to the Grand' Jury, commenced on the fact that the newspapers of the colony had escaped the law of libel.

-lis Honor: I said! the newspapers wei« as a 1 Tile 'conducted by discreet editors and proprietors, and that they did not publish libels. / Accused : The innuendo was that a newspaper had' brought itself under the law. His Honor : 1 can take notice of that. Accused- said he visited Mr Justice Conollv's residence to see 'his coachman on political matters. One of his (Mr Justice Cor-olly's) daughters Uis Honor (warmly) : I won't have my daughter's name mentioned in this Court. Accused said he would mention her name in this Court.

His Honor (more Warmly) : You shall nofc do so,' and I shall not permit it. .This is most disgraceful. Accused persisted, Avhereupon Mr Justice Conolly said he would haA r e the accused taken below and locked up if he insulted his daughter. Accused said be would state that he dropped the reference to / his Honor's daughter, but persisted in reading a newspaper, despite his Honor's protest thafc ifc was irregular.; His Honor thereupon ordered the police to lock accused in the cells until he Avas in a better frame of mind. The police thereupon seized the accused, and at his Honor's order took a paper from the accused. The accused asked: Do you call this justice. He added he would go below till the day he. died, so long as he got a fair trial. He twitted the Judge with having his decision in the Bews case reversed.

His Honor said he had made a mistake in a point of law. ' Accused said the BeAvs case showed that his Honor Avas a man of strong peculiarities. Why did his Honor wire to her the case. Mr Justice Conolly: Because it was my duty. The accused's plea was then taken. The Crown Prosecutor Avas ready to reply, but the accused asked for a remand to further prepare his argument, and Avas remanded accordingly.