Memories of this case, which croated such exch 1895 have been revived by the release of George Dean, who has served nine out of sentence of fourteen years in Goulburn Gaol. Dean who was a young man of twenty-seven years and employed ona Sydney ferryboat was, in 1895, arrested on a charge of attempted poisoning of his wife. He was tried before the late Justice Windeyer, convicted, and sentenced to death. The trial, which was a prolonged one, created great interest in Australia, and among the general public there was much difference of opinion as to his guilt, The jury recommended the prisoner to merey, partly on account of his youth, and also because on more than one occasion he had rescued people from drowning in the harbour. Immediately after his conviction an agitation was started to obtain an investigation into the case, on the ground that an innocent man was being convicted, and that the whole case was grave miscarriage of justice. The commission was granted, and as a result Dean was sot at liberty within throe months of his conviction. During this interval his solicitor Mr. Meagher had been returned to Parliament, and ho li the Assembly referred to the case, his remarks tending to leave certain impros-sions on the public with regard to Mr. Justice Windeyor, Other matters were also brought to light and a statement made in the Council by Sir Julian Salomons was replied to by Mr. Meagher. Dean, thereupon, swore an affidavit that there was no foundation for the statement which had been made, that he had made confession of his guilt, he protested his innocence. Later in. the same year Dean was brought to trial on charge of having made a false declaration, and received a sentence of fourteen years' imprisonment. His solicitor Meagher was struck off the rolls, and his readmission has since been twice refused by the fall Court. On the occasion of his last application, the hope was extended him that a similar request next year may be more successful.
A Cabman Baronet, A Hobart cabdriver, George Meredith, has succeeded to a baronetcy through the death of his cousin Sir Edward Mero-with. The present possessor of the title isa man of over seventy years of ago, who has had more than " half-a-century of Australian experience in roughing it. He came to Hobart in 1850 and has by turns earned his living s ® storeman, policeman, deck hand, stoker, shoemaker, to quote some of his occupations. The deceased baronet made three unsuccossfal attempts to disinherit his oab-propriofor heir, on the ground of illegitimacy, but the old fellow sold up his cab business, and going to England produced the necessary d documents that broke down the opposition. The present baronet is
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.