FOR TRIAL ON SERIOUS CHARGE

NZ Truth, Issue 1293, 18 September 1930, Page 6

FOR TRIAL ON SERIOUS CHARGE

Nelson Girl's Friendship With Seaman Aboard; Scow "Kohi "Has Sequel In Court

"WANTED TO BUY ME WEDDING RING"

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Nelson Representative.) Charged with three offences against a girl over the age of 1 2 and ,under the age of 16 years, John J. Morgan, a seaman employed on the scow "Kohi,". trading between Nelson and Wellington, pleaded not guilty before Mr. T. E. Maunsell, S.M., m the Nelson Magistrate's Court last week, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.

ACCORDING to the girl's .story, she met Morgan at a ball m the Velma Hall, ' and a friendship sprang up between them, so that she visited the "Kohi" with Morgan, another girl, and the latter's boy friend. , Morgan, the girl also alleged, had offered to buy her a red evening dress, a pair of shoes and a shawl, and there had also been talk of a marriage and an engagement ring. On the application of Sergeant Butler, who appeared for the police', the court was cleared. Morgan, who reserved his defence, was represented by Mr. J. R. Kerr. All three charges were taken together. * The girl, who gave her evidence m a timid voice, said she would be 16 m November next. She left school about five months ago, when she was m Form 3 C. She had first met Morgan on August 28, at the Plunket Ball m tlie Velma Hall. ■*' She was attending the ball with a girl friend, and at the conclusion of the ball at midnight Morgan accompanied her home. They talked for about three-quarters of an hour, and then • Morgan committed an offence against her. Morgan, declared the girl, promised to buy her a red evening dress and a pair of shoes and a shawl. He wanted her to go to Picton when the scow "Kohi," on which he was employed, was up for overhaul. "He wanted to buy me a wedding ring when we visited Picton, but when I said I was too young to - . have a wedding ring, as people wouid talk, he suggested getting an engagement ring," said the girl. Continuing, the girl said that she next saw Morgan on August 30, meeting him at the Velma Hall, where she was attending a dance m company with a- girl friend. She had four or five dances with Morgan, and at midnight accused persuaded her to accompany him down to the scow, another girl and a boy going with them. On arriving at the boat, the four of them went into a cabin m which there were three boys m bunks. She only knew one of the boys — Allen Gardiner. ' , i ■ Morgan entertained the party for a while with the gramophone, said the girl, and then the other boy and girl left. "Morgan persuaded me to stop with him," said the girl, "and said he wouid get the taxi to come back for me. This left Morgan and me and the three boys m the cabin." The girl then related the circumstances of the offence which she alleged had been committed against her. Morgan then took her home m a taxi. Pier next meeting .with Morgan, said the girl, was on September 4, when the "Kohi" arrived back at Nelson. Accompanied by her girl friend, the girl, according to her story, met Morgan on the boat shortly after 6.30 p.m. Sergeant Butler: Was, he expecting you? — Yes. He asked me why 1 did not come m the afternoon, and. I told him I was not able to. While my friend ,went to see the ferry boat leave, Morgan and I walked to the end of the wharf. After that the four of us all went aboard the "Kohi" and

went into the cabin. We sat on a form talking for a while. My girl friend and. her boy then left to ' go back to town, leaving Morgan and me and one of the crew m the cabin. The other member of the crew then left, and the ' girl declared that misconduct then occurred. About 8.45 p.m. the other couple arrived back at the boat, and they all sat talking while Morgan . tried to mend the gramophone. Her girl friend then asked Morgan if he would get a taxi to take them home, but Moi'gan said he couldn't. Soon after the captain came aboard, and her girl friend asked • him if he would get them a taxi, but he said that as they were with Morgan it was his place to get them the taxi. <Her friend, continued the girl, then went on to the wharf just as Constable Berthelson arrived, and the latter sent for a taxi and sent them home. This was the last occasion on which witness had been m the company of Morgan. In conclusion, the girl said that she had never told Morgan her age. He had never asked her, and it was untrue that she had told him she was I eighteen.

AT MIDNIGHT

After medical evidence had been given by Dr. M. Varley m corroboration of the girl's story, her mother entered the box. She stated that her daughter was born m Nelson on November 15, 1914. The birth certificate produced was correct. The first witness's girl friend, a domestic, employed at the Public Hospital, was the next witness, and she gave her evidence boldly m a clear voice. She said that she was introduced to' Morgan by the first witness at the Plunket Ball on August 28. Leaving the Velma, Hall at midnight that night, she saw 'Morgan taking the other girl home. The following Saturday she again saw Morgan at the Velma Hall, and after the dance, at accused's suggestion, they all went clown to the "Kohi" tb hear some gramophone records. After hearing a couple of records, slie 'and her boy friend left. The other girl wanted to come away with them, but Morgan would not let her. The following Thursday, continued witness, the two girls again went, to the wharf, where they met Morgan. He and the other girl walked along the wharf, and after a while the girl called her over to say that she would be stopping down there for a while. "Morgan and the girl then went on board the 'Kohi,' and. l followed them, going into the same cabin, and remained with them till 7.20," said witness. She- added that when she left the scow she arranged to call back for the other girl later. x Witness returned to the scow about 9.50 p.m. Morgan and the other girl

were still there, and were arguingabout a taxi that Morgan had promised to get. On. returning to the wharf a i'ew minutes later,\ Constable Berthelson came on the scene; and he got a taxi and sent them home. A. J. Oakley, a taxi proprietor, stated that h,e knew Morgan. He had driven him up to a dance, and after the dance had picked up Morgan, two ladies, and another man at the Trafalgar corner just after midnight. He drove them all down to the boat. Returning to the scow about 1 a.m., he picked up Morgan and one of the girls: Constable Berthelson said that acting under instructions he visited the "Kohi" at 10.30 p.m. on September 4. He went into the men's quarters, where he saw Morgan sitting on a bench with his arm round the girl. He asked the girl what she was doing there, but did not' receive a reply, so he told her to come with him. "I then warned accused that if he attempted to entice the girl away from her home he would be arrested for abduction," said the constable. . "Another girl was on the wharf when I arrived at the boat. "The following day I again visited the 'Kohi,' and' requested Morgan to accompany me to the Nelson police station, where he was interviewed by Senior-sergeant Butler while I was present. "Sergeant Butler said to accused: 'You sent a boy to the girl's place to ask her if she would call and see you?' Accused replied, 'Yes. She wanted me to get a job for her.; "Sergeant Butler then said, 'This is not the first time you ihave had this girl on the scow?', ... Morgan said that he took her down there once before after- a dance to hear the gramophone. Sergeant Butler said, 'Is that why ypu were going to buy her a red dress and engagement ring?' To this question Morgan made no reply. "On being questioned further hy the sergeant," continued the constable, "Morgan said he had met the girl three times. Sergeant' Butler said, 'Yes, and on each occasion you have misconducted yourself with ' her?' Morgan did not reply for a few seconds, but then said the girl told him she was over 18. Sergeant Butler said, 'That is no use,' Morgan gave his age to Sergeant Butler as 25 years." The senior-sergeant here recalled the girl and questioned her closely m regard to the times when intimacy had occurred. This ended the evidence for the police, and_ Morgan pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence. He was committed for trial at the next sitting '.'df the Supreme Court. Bail was allowed — £200 self and two sureties of £100 each.