Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-06-13


and abstinent nature; that he then
hurried back another three-quarters
of mile to the vicarage, arrived SO
composed and tidy as to attract no
attention and sat quietly down to the
family supper, the whole expedition
from first to last being under an
hour"
Sir Conan showed that the Chief
Constable Of Staffordshire, Captain
the Hon. G.. A. Anson, had written
to Edalji's father back in 1898, when
the first series of anonymous letters
had reflected on his son, mere lad:
II may say at once that shall not
pretend to believe any protestations
of ignorance which your son may
make"
From that time on the police of
Staffordshire were prejudiced. Sir
Conan says, about young Edalji, and
when, ten years later, the outrages
on animals began and the anonymous
letters started up accusing him, they
were convinced from the outset that
the young lawyer was guilty. The
night on which the pony was killed
was rainy. The police found coat
which Edalji had worn at home that
they 1lid was damp. His father said
it wasn't. They found some razors
that were damp. That was probably
true, because the air was filled with
moisture. They found some starchy
substances on the coat which they
| said was saliva from an animal. They
found two stains which we're blood.
but which were not damp. They
found mud on the mans shoes. which
was explained by the fact that he
was walking about the village early
in the evening.
After hundreds Of persons had
gone over the ground the police
found footprints which showed heels
run down and, as Edalji's heels were
run down they said the footprints
were his. 1t had been raining VOL
emily after the pony was attacked.
They admitted that they saw no one
leave the vicarage after $50 o'clock
in the evening and did not attempt
to explain the discrepancy that the
pony must have been slashed at least
three hours after that.
They produced witness who
swore to the handwriting of the let
ters, in which Edalji. IL he wrote
them, must have accused himself
They explained the outrages after his
arrest and conviction by saying THAI
they were done by confederates to
could trace any acquaintance between
Harrington, shiftless miner, and
Green. registering boy trooper, and
Edalji, who neither drank nor smoked
and who always lived a studious and
apparently correct life in the relig-
ious atmosphere OF q country English
vicarage.
The police also said they found
hairs on Edalji's coat that resembled
those on the belly Of a horse. Sir
Conan pointed out that II the perpet-
rator of the outrage had got horse
hairs on his coat they would have
been from the side of the animal and
not from the belly. When Capt. An
son pointed out hair Edalji's sister
at once declared 1t was q thread and
his father asserted that he could see
none. The coat and piece of the
horses hide were then put together,
and when the coat was produced
twelve hours later 1t did have horse
hairs on 1t.
Henry Labouchere took up the
case, but could make no headway as
a journalist. AS member Of Par
lament he then urged the Home
Office to do justice, for Edalji had
been sentenced to seven years I'M
prisonment and had been disbarred.
The Home Office said 1t had looked
into the case and could do nothing.
1t refused to allow the documents to
be seen, "the dossier," as was the
situation in the Dreyfus case. Then
Sir Conan began his investigation.
Before he published his conclusions
the authorities took q sudden shift,
described by Sir Conan as irregular
and illogical" and released Edalji
: without pardon after having served
three years imprisonment. Sir Conan
said S this:
Evidently the authorities were
shaken and compromised with their
consciences in this fashion. But this
cannot be final. The man is guilty
or he is not. II he is he deserves
every day of his seven years. II he
is not then we must have apology,
pardon and restitution"
The pardon has come.