MILLIONAIRE'S SONS ON TRIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8472, 15 November 1905, Page 2

MILLIONAIRE'S SONS ON TRIAL.

: + ; VERDICT OF " NOT GUILTY." Before Lord Ardwall and a jury in the High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, last month, John Schapper Phipps and Henry Carnegie Phipps, sons of Mr Phippe, of Pittsburg, teaant of Beaufort Castle, near Inverness, appeared to stand their trial. The charge was to the effect that on July 5, on the river Beauly, they discharged loaded guns at three salmon; fishers, the shots striking them on the heads, faces, arms and legs, whereby John Fraeer, of Cruives, had his right eye permanently destroyed, and his left eye seriously injured. The accused pleaded not guilty. John Macrae, head salmon fisher to Lord Lovat. said that he arid his five assistants went down to the silver pool on. the night in question,, and took out about forty salmon from the nets. The witness and two of the men went away with the fish, leaving the other three. The witness* admitted that he and his men had no right to fish in the pool without communicating with Mr Phipps. They fished in the pool because it was overcrowded with salmon. Donald Fraser, one of the three men shot, told what happened after Macrae and his two companions had left the pool. He was engaged in putting the net back into the stern of the boat, when he heard a voice from the other side asking what they were doing there. He saw a figure on the other side of the water, but he did not answer. The report of the first shot rang out. He broke cover, but before he could,reaoh the bushes he wa6 hit on the head and right arm. He saw John, Frader fall. The witness had received seventy guineas compensation, and had not lost any wages. John Robertson, another of the men, said he was hit on the legs and arms, and was hit again before he could reach cover. John Fraser, of Cruives, whose eye-" Gight was severely damaged, had to be assisted into the box. He was fortyone,, and had been all hie life in Lord Lovat'e employment, having charge of the angling on the river. When shot he fell to the ground, but was afterwards able to get up. One of the Phipps waded across the river to his assistance, and he was kept in the castle until removed to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. He had been given an annuity of 32« per week for _Hfe, and for the lifetime of his wife. D-r John Leach spoke to being summoned to the castle and being told to spare no expense. Mr J. F. Garrioch-, factor to Lord Lovat, said that Mr Phipps paid £2150 for three months for the entire shooting rights, and the angling rights for three days a week. He held by assignation the rent of the angling rights, paying for these £260 a month. No one would have sanctioned the night expedition, and he regarded the men as poachers. Lord Lovat said that no one had been given sanction by , him, or in his name, to take fish from the river pool. * Tiro jury brought in a verdict of not . itv, which was received, in Court •;h loud applauee.