CRICK-WILLIS CASE.

Waikato Independent, Volume V, Issue 320, 5 January 1907, Page 5

CRICK-WILLIS CASE.

JURYMEN’S ALLEGATIONS. [by ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH COPYRIGHT ) (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Sydney, January 3. The Royal Commission appointed to investigate the allegations made by the jurymen in connection with the recent trial of Crick and Willis further examined the foreman of the jury, who stated that things that occurred in the jury room were known outside days before the jury got out. He gave an instance of this. Other complaints were that Mrs Willis and the wife of a juror were in the body of the Court and kept laughing at the jury distracting their attention and that one of the Sheriffs officers told the jurymen that Willis was an Orangeman and his wife a Catholic. The foreman had also been informed that two of the Sheriff’s officers had dinner with Crick’s brother the day the trial ended. Asked why the jury did not complain to these matters witness said the jury discussed them and decided to inform the Sheriff but did not because they regarded the whole trial as a farce. (Received January 5, 12.24 a.ra.) The Commission examined the sheriff’s officers and those in charge of the jury-room. They declared their conduct in the jury-room was always regular and they were never in the room longer than was necessary in the performance of their duty, excepting on one occasion, when they spent half an hour listening to the reminiscences of one of the jurymen. They never discussed the case with the' jurors, or divulged anything, and denied listening at the door. One officer stated that on several occasions the jury discussed the case within the hearing of the officials. Eelton, the Sheriff’s supervising officer, gave similar evidence. He also once or twice was with the defendants, but the case was never mentioned between them. The officers did their duty properly, and he emphatically denied the statement that the Sheriff asked him f to ascertain the opinion of the jury. He mentioned that, with other officers, he was present in the jury-room by special invitation of the jury when the foreman received a' 1 birthday presentation from the other jurors.