Mr. Vulliamy, the Ipswich Coroner, is probably an indiscreet person;
but the censures passed on his recent conduct are far too severe. He had insisted, unwisely, it may be, on excluding reporters from an inquest held on the body of a young girl found drowned, and the jury, sympathising with the papers, refused to perform their duties. Instead of committing the jurymen, who were undoubtedly refusing to do their duty, Mr. Vnlliamy submitted the whole matter to the Lord Chancellor. Lord Halsbary decided that he had a right to close his Court, and accordingly on Wednesday he did so, adding some fierce remarks about the comments in a local paper. The reporters retired ; but one of them, Mr. Sleigh, advised the jury not to submit, and was committed to prison for !even days. On making an apology, he was, however, released in the evening. We can see from the reports that the Coroner lost his temper, but we fail to see the oppression. A Coroner is a Judge, and if to advise a jury to disobey a Judge's order,
just declared by the Lord Chancellor to be strictly within his right, is not contempt of Court, what is P We dare say Mr. Sleigh believed that he was maintaining the rights of the Press ; but they do not extend to a right to authorise reporters to appeal to a jury against a Judge in his own Court.
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