The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-01
Trial Was Rather Dull


I'VE are about as wise as were before
fo far solving the mystery of Edwin
brood is concerned, although John Jas
per" has been solemrly tried for brood s
murder before Judge G. X. Chesterton
and convicted of manslaughter by per-
haps the most distinguished jury ever i'm
paneled. Sir DANES M Barrie was not.
as it had been hoped. a member of this
jury, but il had George Bernard Shaw
as its foreman and also included such
literary notabilties as Arthur Morrison,
w. PETIT Ridge, w. w. Jacobs, William
Archer, William de Morgan, Justin Hunt
ly Mccarthy, Max Femberton, Tom Gal
Ion and W. l.. Courtney.
Frankly speaking, this much heralded
mock trial proved rather dull, but of the
fun of the evening being furnished by
the irrepressble Shaw. Even Shaw how
ever, was not screaminely funny, his
best shot being the sally with which he
followed Cunning Walters remark, as
prosecuting attorney that he proposed to
call evidence to prove that Jasper killed
brood.
Did I understand the learned gentle
man to say that he was going to call
evidence?" demanded Shaw.
Certainly replied counsel
Then all | can sax" flashed the fore
man, lis that if the learned gentleman
thinks the convictions of a British jury
are going to be Influenced by evidence
he little knows his countryl"
Chesterton Ridiculed Judge
Most OF the spectators who, with the
exception of the newspaper men, were all
members of the Dickens Fellowship, were
glad when the trial came to an end.
The prosecution maintained that Jasper
had killed brood and then destroyed his
body with quici<lme, while the defense
declared that there had been no mur-
der at all, but that Jasper had dreamed
ne mad disposed of brood while under
the Influence of opium. At the finish
Shaw declared on behalf of his fellow
Jurymen that they lad decided on their
verdict of ''manslaUghter' during the
refreshment interval and G. K Chester
ton promptly committed" the jury and
everybody else except himself for con-
tempt of court.
Writing in the Daily News of which
Charles Dickens once was editor. today
X. y. Cunninghamc Graham describes
chestertons performance and make up
as the judge wonderful
The wheeling voice, the sleepy atti-
tude, the fumbling with the hands on the
desk in front of him. the frequent steady
ing of the wig and spectacles ali were
inimitable." says Graham.
Mr.. Chesterton held up the British
Judge to ridicule so subtly but with such
Intensity of parody. that he surely put a
long nail into the coffin of the whole
ridiculous paraphernalia of an alleged
court of justice.
''Ta hear him wheeze and interiect
something with little or no bearing on the
case and aagln interpolate some bril-
liant witcism merely to show his gorge
Gus abilities, was to wonder whether the
whole ridiculous affair of a British court
could long continue
THE Blue Lagoon" Dramatized
mn lsar L....
date. of the play which Leonard Merrick
was said TO have written in cola boration
with Michael Morton, of L. S. A. and
TO have named The Imposter" Mean
while. however, Hope MerriclI, the novel
lists wife, has written play and had II
accepted by the slightly high browed
sanae Qnent of the Vaudeville theatre,
which Viii produce it almost Immediately,
or as soon as Jerome X. Jerome's unsuc-
cessful. "Robina in Search of a Hus-
band has run its brief course Mrs.
Merrick's play Is called Mary Girl -
Then we have the announcement which
surprises most folk, that De We're Stack
poole's charming novel, The Blue
Lagoon has been dramatized and that
this dramatizaton will be staged BY Sir
Herbert Beerhohm Tree There are only
five characters in The Blue Lagoon
and little action but there. we shall see,
Anyhow. it viii give chance for some
sort Of thing Sir Herbert does best So
look out for The Blue Lagoon" in Amer
5ct' later on.
You have uttered that famous phrase
as quick as one could say Jack Robin
son." of course, but have you any idea
who the real Jack Robinson was? Well.
John Robinson proves to have been a
politician who flourished in the time OF
George II, and who was great favorite
of the English King against whom the
Thirteen American colonies revolted. Rob-
inson's political career was a long one.
and he was a member for Harwch for 26
years.
on one occasion he was bitterly attacked
by Sheridan. who, denouncing bribery and
its lnstigators replied TO the cries of
Name, name," by pointing to Robinson
on the treasury bench. exolaimng: Yes,
could name him as soon ! could say Y
Jack Robinson"