J. Baldwin’s Incarceration

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 227, 27 November 1888, Page 3

J. Baldwin’s Incarceration

BIS RELEASE URGED. ▲ NAPIER JOURNAL ADVOCATES IT AS ‘ AN ACT OF MERCY. Napieb. last night. Under the heading of An Act of Mercy ” the Evening News publishes the following article this evening:—" Our attention has been directed to the case of Mr John Baldwin, editor and proprietor of a late Gisborne paper, who is now serving a sentence of six months’ imprisonment for having published a libel upun the Town Clerk of Gisbome. Mr Baldwin is a man of very delicate health at any time, and for some months previous to his imprisonment had suffered from a very severe attack of asthma, and also from an aggravated affection of the chest. We understand, on most creditable authority, that at the present time he is in a very serious state of ill-health, and that his previous disorders have been sensibly aggravated by his confinment. We have no morbid sympathy with criminals, and we are quite willing to admit that the Gisborna editor had by his violent attacks upon the Town Clerk fully merited the punishment he is now undergoing, but when, as we feel certain is the case in this instance, imprisonment may lead up to fatal results, we would plead for mercy. It is well known amongst those who know Gisborne—and we speak

from personal experience of that place—that Mr Baldwin was made a tool of by a few unprincipled and blatant local politicians who instigated and inspirited the articles for which the journalist was imprisoned. These so called ' friends’’ of the unfortunate scribe totally deserted him in his hour of trouble, and the man was left to fight his battle alone and unaided. He is now evidently suffering from what appears to be a very severe chest complaint which, it is only too probable, may develop into rapid consumption. and those persona who knew him in Gisborne, and have kindly visited him in gaol, are now seriously ooncerned about bis health. He has now served nearly half his sentence, and we submit that it would only be an act of mercy and true justice to order his release. If any of the prisoner’s friends will start a petition to the Minister of Justice we shall be glad to receive a copy, and endeavor to obtain signatures.”