On Wednesday Sir Roger Casement read a statement as to
his position, intended to vindicate him from the charge of having attempted to seduce Irish soldiers to fight on the German side, or for any country but their own. It was an obvious slander that he had been bought by German gold. After this speech from the dock, Serjeant Sullivan, Sir Roger Casement's leading counsel, addressed the jury for the defence. According to the newspaper reports, he held the Court spellbound by the fascinations of his oratory, which recalled the great forensic efforts of Curran and Shiel and O'Connell. We are bound to say, however, that when read in the newspaper reports the rhetoric seems to lack life and spirit. However, Mr. Sullivan had not got to think of matters of literary taste, but solely of the best way of helping his client. To that every effort of the advocate must be bent, and no doubt was bent in the present case.
Previous page
