Supreme Court
Victoria
23 December 1869
Re:
Me-Shak Threat at the Assize held at Victoria on the 4 December 1869
for the Wilful murder of Archibald Campbell
Sir
I have the the honor to
enclose for the information of His
Excellence of the governor a copy of My
notes taken on the trial of the abovenamed Prisoner
It seemed to me at the
trial and I still think notwithstandingthe verdict of the jury that the evidence
as it stands does not remove the casesufficiently beyond a doubt to justify thesentence of death being carried out
Of the discretion rested
with me I should have commutedthe sentence to period sentence forlife and that course i beg to recommend
to his excellency consideration.
To the Hon.
(unclear)
I have the honor to be
inYour (unclear)
J. Needham (signature)