§ MR. DRUCKER (Northampton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received a petition, signed by over eleven thousand of the inhabitants of Northampton, including many public officials of the borough, praying for a remission of the sentence of ten years' penal servitude, passed upon a man named Golding, who was convicted of pointing a pistol, which it was proved in evidence could not be 30 fired, at one Emily Roberts; whether he has considered such petition; and whether he is prepared to advise the Crown to remit the remainder of the sentence?
§ SIR M. WHITE RIDLEYA petition on behalf of Golding was received in 1898, and was carefully considered by me, together with all the facts of the case. I am not prepared to advise an absolute remission of the sentence, but I have directed that the case shall be treated as one of seven years' penal servitude.