§ MR. LONSDALEI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a nolle, prosequi has been entered in the case of Rex v. Adcock, in the trial of which, at the last session of the Central Criminal Court, the jury failed to agree; and, whether, if a shorthand report was taken of the trial, lie will have the notes published and presented to the House.
§ THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir JOHN WALTON,) Leeds, S.My right 472 hon. friend the Home Secretary has asked mo to answer this Question. I should like to say that before the matter came under my consideration the learned Judge who tried the case expressed the strong opinion in public that the prosecution ought not to continue, and the accused ought not again to be put on his trial. After this judicial pronouncement, obviously it would have been impossible to retry the case with any prospect of securing a conviction. The result, having regard to the evidence, was not to me a matter of surprise.