§ MR. J. WARDI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the case of Frederick Rushton, who, at the Staffordshire December assizes, 1902, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to ten years penal servitude; whether the prisoner has complained that his brother, who was a material witness, was persuaded to absent himself from the trial; and whether, having regard to other circumstances and also the conduct of the prisoner since conviction, he will take into consideration the sentence with a view to an immediate release of this prisoner.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. GLADSTONE, Leeds, W.)This man was convicted in December 1901, not 1902. He has sent four petitions to the Home Office but in none has he spoken of any evidence that any brother of his could give. In the last petition, however, he spoke of a certain Nellie Rushton, who, he said, should have been called at the trial. The crime was a very grave one, and I regret that I can see no reason for interfering with the sentence. If, however, the prisoner's conduct in prison has been good, he will be entitled to a considerable remission under the prison rules.