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Westport Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1644, 11 March 1879, Page 2

Either. Mr Charles Sibree is a very unfortunate man, or else he is one of the coolest and bloodiest murderers that have walked the face of God's earth. Twice has lie boon actually in prison, charged with the awful crime of wilful murder, anc 1 twice now he has been discharged, <~*n the first occasion he escaped owing to the absence of any evidenre at all to connect him with the crime, and possibly to the imbecility of the police who were engaged in making the preliminary investigation. Now, after a lapse of seven years, the person who deposes to having been an actual eyewitness of Costello's murder is not admissible in evidence, because Mr Sibree has effectually closed her mouth by marrying her. There can be no doubt that if Mi s Sibree's statement is true, she is guilty herself as an accessory, both before and after the fact, and these two people, partners fir life, and, as one alleges, cold blooded murderer?, can dwell among au order and peace loving community in security and tranquillity, mixing with the people in ordinary social intercourse, and gradually acquiring a reputation for innocence. It is quite true that the law pronounces a man innocent until he is proved to bo guilty, but public opinion is not tied to such a rule, and where a man has himself destroyed the eviden o which would either exonerate or criminate him, it takes away very much of that feeling which protects the reputation of persons who arc not shown to have been guiity of what is alleged against thutn. The failure of the search part)' the other day to find Costello's remains proves nothing 1 in Sihree's favor. The period of seven vents, and the ample opportunity he had to effectually destroy all traces of the bodv, would amply account for the non-success, while the statement in a local print, that Inspector Feast said the evidences of the search belied the statement of Mrs Sibree, is incredible. Failure was merely want of corroho. ration, it could not contradict the story, and seeing that the place has been swept by torrents again and again, large portions of the surface carried away and the face of the country entirely changed ro one could expect that anything short of a series of fortunate accidents, could lead to much result at the present time. If Inspector Feast told the Court that, there was no legal information which justified the issue of the warrant for Sibren's apprehension he was guilty of a gross impertinence, as the Magistrates and not the police aie the judges ot the sufficiency of evidence and tie expediency of issuing warrants, we do not think Inspector Feast so far forgot himself. Whichever way this matter is looked at, only an unsatisfactory conclusion can be arrived at. On the one hand Sibree is not proved guiity, on the other he is not proved innocent. No doubt many will consistently say that he is blameless in the affair, but others will naturally prefer not to deal with one against whom such au accusation rests. And thus it is that justice is defeated ; either an innocent man is wrongfully accused, or, 011 the other hand, a very guilty one is allowed to escape