"and Shopinan both swear, woes not arrested till the 26th of February.
"It will, I think, be a difficult matter to convict any one that under all the circumstances Jung_Achow is rightly accused.
"He remains in the place, he makes an attempt at concealment, he may have been seen by several of his accusers, and a period of nearly 2 months is allowed to elapse before his arrest.
"All these facts considered together give me the notion of this man's innocence, and I submit that he is entitled to his conditional release.
"The above is the conclusion at which I have arrived after much and careful enquiry, both in and out of the Council, into this very vexing and difficult subject!
(Signed) M. J. Mercer, Colonial Secretary
6th March 1856.
By the Honourable The Lieutenant Governor
Executive Council, 26 March 1856.
I am of opinion that the whole of the prisoners are guilty, but in consideration of the parties having taken life, I recommend that the sentence be commuted to transportation for life.
(Signed) W. Caine, Lieut. Governor.
His Excellency from or diverted from...