SIR JOSEPH WARD'S LIFE THREATENED.

West Coast Times, Issue 12282, 15 August 1902, Page 2

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S LIFE THREATENED.

A MADMAN'S LETTER.

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE.

(t'ROM ODR SPECIAL PARLIAMKNTRY CORRESPONDENT)

Wellington Aug 14

Francis Thomas Moore, aged 35 years, and well known iv the district in connection with his efforts on ' behalf of the frozen meat indnstry, was charged this morning before Mr WR Haselden S M, with having sent a threatening letter to Sir Joseph Ward, Pat in legal phraseology, the charge read* tbat accused caused to ba received by Sir Joseph Ward, accused knowing its contents, a letter containing threats to kill or do grbevious bodily harm to Sir J G Ward.

Moore was arrested in the Strangers Gallery of the House of Representatives.

The letter, the envelope of which was addressed to Sir Joseph Ward, Acting Premier and marked >( Important ", is as follow* :—

152, Tinakori Road, 13th August. 1902.

Sir Joseph Ward—" I really believe, that if I carry out my threat of yesterday and remove you from the bead of the State, as M ( Ktnley£was removed, I shall be rendering a Bervice to New Zealand. You are the head and front of monopolies that lam fighting, anil you atop my progress. Why should I let you stop me when a bullet or a dagger will put you out of the way. lam willing to sacrifice my life for the good of my cause as the Anarchists do. With you put away, a succe *or like Booseveldt may come forwatdand perform the work you stop. You have muzzled Field and Duncan and will not place my final report on the frozen meat industry on .the table of tbe House, in the form I have compiled. Yon propose mixiog my papers with others. I wont havejthis, I will have fair play and nothing else. You are treating me foully I shall deal foully with you. As you are warned, you cannot • regard me as being cowardly." lam etc (signed) F T Moore*

William W Phipps, gunner of the Permanent Artillery, on duty at 1235 p.m. yesterday, deposed as to the delivery of the letter by the accused at the hour mentioned. When accused delivered the letter, witness asked if there would beao answer, and accused replied there was ''no answer then."

Benjamin M Wilson, private secretary to Sir Joseph WarJ, deposed to receiving another letter, (produced), addressed to Sir Joseph Ward, at about 9.30 on Tuesday evenirg. Thin second but earlier letter is not dated, reads as follows • —

"Iwant to know how much longer you propose humbugging mere money mon its orerdac, You are suppressing tbe work the OrtmUr act me to do and eui ing me to feel so very desperate that I am disclosed to regard your as person il and will risk my. life against the man wbo treatfl ms with tbe scorn and contempt that you manifest. I personally wara you that I want attention or revenge." (Signed). — F.T. Moore.'

The letter produced and dated 14th August was in Sir Joseph Ward's writing? This letter (No 3) was written by Sir Joseph Ward himself this morning to Mi James Moore and is as follows: — ''Dear Sir.— Bearding your representations concerning your son, I much regret the trouble that he is in. I can assure you, tbat I not only have no desire to see him prosecuted, but would be exceedingly glad to see him forgiven. He has evidently laboured under sooae mkcoaception regarding myself and nnder excitement wrote me. Had I known him or yourself, or any of his family I' would have sent for you and asked you to take care of him. , Yours truly, J. G..WABD."

Detective Cameron deposed that accused was arrested and charged.

He said v O God that was nothing it was only a joke."

Witness searched accused and found no dangerous weapons, only a pen knife.

At the detective office, accused said, M I go in for expensive lessons."

When shown the letter and informed that be was charged with sending it accused said '* Yes that is the lotter, I wanted to get, attention and stir him up in the matter. I want to place myself in his hands, aud in your hands and get out of it. I could not get an answer and thought it would wake him up, It was a foolish thing for a man to do. I must climb right down and give the whole thins up and have 'nothing more to do with it." This closed the case for the prosecution

Accused slated, " I plead guilty, I admit writing the letters, I wrote them underaseose of irritation without the slightest intention of doing what I had written. 1 showed the letters to a friend before sendiog them' and informed her tbat I had no intention for carrying out my threats. I thoroughly realise • how icolish I have been."

His Worship, "I am glad to hear it was not a man he showed it (the letter), to." Accused was committed to the Supreme Court, for sentence.

[r«R United Pbesi (Association]