A SERIOUS CHARGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 56, 8 March 1899, Page 4

A SERIOUS CHARGE.

(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.)

PAEROA, this day.

To-day at the Paeroa Police Court a case.in which great local interest was taken came before Messrs Colclough and Wick, Justices. This was a charge of criminal assault preferred by one Rebecca Goodwin against J. J. Cassidy, a highly respected resident of Paeroa. Sergeant Brennan conducted the case for the prosecution, and Mr Moss appeared for the defence. After hearing the tjridlnce of the informant,Dr. Forbes, anjf two other witnesses, the bench expressed a wish to consult together as to whether any evidence for the defence was necessary, but Mr Moss asked to be allowed to call four witnesses out of eighteen that he had in court, and these were held to have conclusively proved the innocence of the accused. The bench came to the following conclusion: 1. That the evidence of the commission of rape is defective, more particularly after hearing the evidence of Dr Forbes. 2. That ther e is strong presumptive evidence that taking the time into consideration accused was not at the premises of Mr Mitchell during the period alleged. It was a very serious matter to send a. man for trial on such a charge without som c corroborative evidence, which in this case is absent lne accused was therefore discharged