THE BRUGES CASE.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8056, 14 November 1906, Page 3

THE BRUGES CASE.

♦ A FRESH TRIAL. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) , CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 14. In the Supreme Court to-day Francis Henry Bruges, convicted at the last criminal sessions, who applied for and was granted a new trial, came up before Mr Justice Denniston. The indictment alleged fhvt Bruges, who had practised as a solicitor in Christchurch, had stolen from one Henry Tuck two sums of and £2OO. At the last sessions he was charged jointly with James Goodman, formerly his confidential clerk, and both were convicted. Goodman was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. and Bruges applied for a new trial on the ground that the verftoct of the jury was against the weight of evidence. The Appeal Court granted a new trial, the Chief Justice dissenting. The defence was virtually that Goodman conducted all money transactions, and that, therefore, Bruges had 110 guilty knowledge of the thefts. The case is proceeding, After hearing the evidence, Mr Justice Denniston lecapitulated the finding of the Appeal Court. He said it was clearly his duty, in t lie event of no further evidence being produced, to direct the jury to acquit the prisoner. The jury then found the accused not guilty. The judge said that the verdict was the natural of the decision of the Court of Appeal, and accused was discharged.