THE DRUCE CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9210, 13 April 1908, Page 1

THE DRUCE CASE.

MRS ROBINSON SENTENCED. A JUDGE'S COMMENTS. United Press Association — By Eleotrio ' ' Telegraph— Copyright. LONDON, April 11. The trial of Mrs Mary Robinson for jjeasjury in connection with the Druce case has concluded. v \ Mr Avory declared that the offence iiad been committed solely from sordid jnotives. Mr Marshall Hall, for the defence, pleaded that the prisoner had been bruelly and wickedly duped. She was a iraere puppet in the hands of the master »nind guiding the conspiracy. Her icrime was indefensible, but he asked lor leniency, -if <mH in view of the special circumstances of the case. Mr Justice Walton said that he did not wish to make any imputation ep,ainsfc aajy particular individual in relation, to the prisoner. He was satisfied that she had been tempted to commit perjury, and emphasised the very serious mischief arising from the promotion of companies for adopting and maintaining shadowy claims to property, and from the willingness of a public of indefinite credulity to contribute money to such schemes. He commented on the institution of criminal proceedings to support a monstrous claim, and added that Mrs. Robinson, tonly acting, doubtless, on pressure, had yielded to temptation. Her age was the only mitigating circumstance 1 weighing with him, and otherwise he would have imposed the maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment. He •entenoed the prisoner to four years' Imprisonment.