“John James Meikle”的意思、由来-开放百科全书

John James Meikle ({{circa}} 1845 – 25 November 1937) was a New Zealand farmer and litigant.

He was born in Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland in {{circa}} 1845 and arrived in New Zealand in early 1870.^[1] On the evidence brought by a private detective who received a sizeable reward and despite a character reference by former prime minister, Sir Robert Stout, Meikle was convicted of sheep steeling and served five years in prison. After some years of collecting evidence, Meikle laid a charge of perjury against the private detective, who was sent to prison for four years. Meikle petitioned parliament for ₤10,000 compensation and after a lengthy debate, he was awarded ₤500 in 1897, which covered about 10% of his costs. Meikle continued his campaign to fully clear his name, but two Supreme Court judges assigned to the case took a dim view. Meikle died in 1937 a "bitter and broken" man. His case was "one of the most remarkable cases" in New Zealand's legal history.^[1] He was buried at Dunedin Southern Cemetery.^[2]

Meikle contested the 1901 Caversham by-election. Of six candidates, he came last with just 0.59% of the vote.^[3]

References

1. ^¹{{DNZB|last=McArthur|first=J. Findlay|id=2m44|title=John James Meikle|accessdate=23 April 2017}}
2. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries_search?recordid=112878&type=Burial |title=Cemetery details |date= |website= |publisher=Dunedin City Council |accessdate=8 January 2016}}
3. ^{{cite news |title=The Caversham By-election |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=MEX19011220.2.18 |accessdate=2 January 2016 | work=The Marlborough Express | volume=XXXV | issue=295 |date=20 December 1901 |page=2}}