EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume III, Issue 727, 13 May 1872, Page 2

EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

Richard Tbotjnce, an elderly man, was indicted for a criminal assault upon Annie Lyons.—The case was one of an extraordinary character. The prisoner was proprietor of Trounces hotel and coffeehouse, Tottenham-court-road, and the complainant was a domestic servant, 28 years of age. In the month of December ■he was living in the Servants' Home, Port-man-streefc, I?itzroy-3quare, and she was engaged to take a place on the Ist of January. On the 27th of December she went to Leicester to visit her friends, and on her return she was too late to get admission to the Home, and asked a policeman to direct her to a respectable hotel where she could get a bed. He directed her to the priioner's house, and she went there. Her statement of what took place subsequently was that she locked the door of her bed-room, but that it was forced open by the prisoner, and that he then committed the assault complained of, and remained in the room four or five hours. She stated that during that time some one tapped at the door, but that she could not get up. Next day she obtained a warrant against the prisoner, and according to the medical evidence there were slight marks upon her. She admitted that five or six years ago she had given birth to an illegitimate child. —On the uartof the defence, evidence was given with the view of showing that complainant was under the influence of liquor, and that no noise or screaming was heard during the night by persons who were in the next room, and whß only heard some whispering: It was also deposed that the prisoner's wife accused the complainant ©f improper conduct with her husband, and that she replied that he had not touched her. Before leaving the house she laid she was " sorry for the lady (the wife), but she would make him pajr for it."—The jury, after a few moments' hesitation, returned a verdict of "Not guilty."