The Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder. — 1884-11-08 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

PLEM)LNG "GUILTY."  It is contrary to the practice of the English criminal law that a man who pleads guilty to any very serious charge should therefore straightway be convicted. The prosecution is required_, nevertheless, to make out a conclusive case against him. It cannot, however, be said that those who do admit their own guilt very often escape an adverse verdict and consequent punishment. In India the result is often much more favourable to the culprit, and it is by no means so difficult to escape the prejudice created by a first admission of guilt. Here are some cases which vividly illustrate this view. At the Madura Sessions Court, Chetty and another were charged with drugging a third person, and Chetty pleaded guilty before the committing magistrate. Altering her mind afterwards she declared that she had been "compelled by the police" to confess, set up an alibi, and was ultimately acquitted. Malachicounden was charged with murder. Be had been engaged in a law suit, and had offered to abandon it if Nachiakhal, his opponent, would make an oath by touching a cow's tail in support of her adverse claim. She, it appears, was inclined to submit to this ordeal, but was dissuaded from it by 0134 Kumarecounden. Hereupon Malachicounden, according to his min account, took up a bill-hook and finding Kumarecounden asleep, inflicted three cuts on his neck and caused his death. He also pleaded guilty, and was was sentenced to be banged; but the records being forwarded to the High Court, the judges refused to confirm the mentence,and sent the case back to be re-tried. It has recently been so re-tried, and the prisoner nothing daunted, has again pleaded guilty. He has accordingly again been sentenced to death, nor does it appear how anything else could have been dons under the circumstances. But the papers containing the evidence and the full account of the trial will again have to be sent to the High Court for confirmation, and it remains to be seen whether that august tribunal will again rescue the obstinate Malachicounden from the consequences of his own self -accusation.  The Fitzwilliam hounds, which have hunted the Midlands for generations, are threatened with disbandment. In consequence of the members of the hunt not subscribing a sufficient sum, the Honourable Thomas Fitzwilliam, the master, has announced his inability to continue the mastership. In the Queen's Bench Division on Wednesday, Mr. Justice Wills fined seven jurymen who, did not answer to their names, 40s. A bill, introduced by Sir A. Gordon and Mr. Brinton, to amend the law relating to burial fees has been published. _ The bin proposes to enable persons having a right of interment in the burial grounds of their respective parishes in England to be buried therein without any extra charge beyond the secular expenses of burial. The interests of existing incumbents and other officials are guarded by the Act not oominginto operation with respect to them till alter the death or removal of each existing incum. bent or officiaL The bill does not interfere with private rights, nor with the existing powers of burial boards as regards their secular charges,or their ucliitrA War parochial cemeteries.