Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-07-25
UOhOUN-UUhDON.
The Most YiIIainOus and Per-
sistent. MOckery Of Justice"
Brought to a Close.
Disposition to be Made Of the
Americans Charged with Try
ing to Kidnap a Lord.
Mckenzie, the Lawyer Engaged
for the Defense, a Conscious
less, SOulless "Shyster."
The ManitObsns Getting their
Dander Up-Bad Blood All
Round" Tempest in a
Teapot"



day, dated Fort Garry, July 22d: The
examination in the GordOn-kidnaping
case has been concluded with the most
vmLAINoUs AND PERSISTENT NoCKERY
of justice known to history. The re-
suit is, as was anticipated, the cOmmittal
Of the prisoners Fletcher, Merriane,
Bentley, Hoy and Keegan, while no
surprise was manifested. The indigna-
ton excited among the friends of the
! prisoners and those of the citizens here
who desired to see simple justice done
is very great. The court, as per agree
ment, was convened at ten o'clock to
hear the decision OF Judge Belourney.
| In order that the examination might be
/ fully sustained the judge and attorney
| general delayed proceeding at least an
hour before appearing. Upon their ar
I rival the sheriff, with all due pomp and
dignity commanded fSilence in courtu'
and the common herd doffed their
caps, and the mockery commenced.
M'KENzIE, THE LAWYER,
engaged by the defense because they
could secure no one else, being refused
the benefit of Mr.. Wilson's services. In
his seat he addressed his honor, and in
an excited manner declared himself as
being a monument Of injured Innocence.
He said the foul monster slander had
crept into the bosom of his spOtless
reputation, and he wished to proclaim
70 al expectant world his purity. The
cause Of his grief lay in a copy of the
N b 9apOlis Tribune, stating that he
Es- demanded from the prisoners an
y Lal fee of two thousand dollars
b--o.s continuing the case. He denied
tie barge iR toto, and called upon the
P. 3uers to cleanse him of these
CHARGES OF EXTORTIoN
and hlackmail. The arrangement, he
saiu, by which be had been retained as
counsel had been made with Consul
Taylor, ana he had acted honestly.
Mckenzie lied wilfully; he did not de-
mand additional fees, but tried to COM
pei it by threatening TO Withdraw from
the suit. Mckenzie made this state
ment in the face of court that was
just as well aware that it was a lie
Is he himself. And here, not g
week since, in view of a possibility of
bail being needed for the prisoners, be
attempted to force upon Bracket the
purchase Of a piece of land for fifteen
thousand dollars, when the actual value
of the land was not four hundred dollars.
The proposition was afterward repeated
in the presence Of several witnesses. So
much for this
MODEL OF VIRTUE.
Judge Belourney then proceeded to read
the conclusions to which he had arrived. |
After reviewing the evidence at length, !
be committed all the prisoners for trial |
al the next term Of the court Of queens !
bench in October. By this decision |
Judge BelOurney places himself in an
unenviable position. He has caught up !
the blunders of Mckenzie, made |
through ignorance or other causes, and |
called the attention of the counsel for |
the prosecution to them, a course at
least unusual. From these movements |
by the judge sitting on the bench to |
hear and decide, not to prompt, the pris- |
oners have suffered much; in fact, the |
whole affair proves to have been a delib- |
crate determination on the part of the |
authorities to both
BLACR8IAIL AND INIPRIsON
the Americans, and never during the
whole OF the proceedings has this de-
termination been more fully developed
than in the summing up of BelOurney.
The prisoners asked that the following
day, at eleven O'Clock be set as the time
when application TO be admitted to bail
might be made.
Attorney-General Clarke arose in re-
ply, and all the dirty meanness of the |
man developed itself, be at once putting
himself to the proportions Of the frog
who emulated the OK. He said that
while he felt that he had been most foul !
ly abused by the friends Of the prisoners, !
be would show them how magnanimOus |
he would be. This was a court of ius- |
tice (heayen save the mark and as an |
officer OF that court he would forget all |
the indignities which may be heaped |
upon him, and do all that lay in his /
power for the prisoners. The counsel |
for prisoners had asked a special hearing |
in their case, he said, which was with
out precedent; but, in spite of the |
ignOminy which he had suffered, |
be magnanimOusly granted the petition. |
Then this embodiment Of combined
Bo1IBAsT AND MALICIOUS MEANNEss
calmy sat down during the session.
Judge Belourney stated that Consul 1
Taylor had made satisfactory explana-
tions, and that he was convinced no
contempt Of court was intended by the
recent publication Of his card. The
clerk again displayed his dirt by at
tempting to force a public explanation
on Taylor, which ignOmiDiOusly failed.
The court then adjourned till eleven
O'Clock tomorrow. Now a few words.in
regard to the
REPLY OF GOVERNOR NORRIS TO Gov
ERNOR AUSTIN,
FOR he therein explicitly states, on the
Of Judge Belourney, that the
,r1ris Of the prisoners had full access to
lel- This was untrue, although prob
, -g u0t wilfully so. Judge Belourney
lie Iant Brackett, as claimed, permis-
siau 70 visit the prisoners, but the other
H;.- .uvariably ouerruled by the court at
Manitoba by AttOrney-General Clark.
anJ iip to last Saturday, with the excep-
ion Of one or two special cases, Bracket
mad not been allowed to see the prison.
ers. Now, however, in the presence Of
an officer, Bracket has had full access
10 them. To effect this end, he called
1n Clarke and
MADE A DEMAND
that he be allowed to pass in and out of
the prison-rOoms at will, and enforced
this request in a manner at the COM
mand Of only such men as Bracket.
He told the attorney-general that since
nis arrival here in behalf OF the prison.
sr, he had been the recipient Of much L
abuse at his hands. he proceeded to
commitment him in a manner which
must have ground terribly on Clsrk's
lignity, and demanded that his dirty
work be stopped so far as
rHE PRISONERS AND THEIR FRIENDS
we're concerned. This was supplement-
d with a promise that unless justice
vas meted out at once, application
would come in another form. Clark,
,orved ana Sn3s-ackett walk in and out at
will. The prisoners ere ere as well IS could
,e expected. Fletcher, Merriam, Bent
ey, Hay and Keefaw all seem determ-
ned to put the best side on the matter.
But now that a conclusion has been
cached, although adverse, they seemed
and more than ever determin-
q to stand square upon the merits of the
ase, no matter what comes. They all
how what confinement and hardships
ave made upon them, but their grit is
] talked with Fletcher and
Merriam, and was surprised at the man
ler in which they stand up under their
nfiietion. Their
PRINCIPAL ANXIETY
eemed to be for the families, and
Fletcher said to me, ~ do not care any