DEBAUCHES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 293, 10 December 1910, Page 17

DEBAUCHES.

A SCOTCH GIBL IN LOWDON. EXTRAORDINARY POLICE COURT STORY. * At North London Police Court on October 25, Elizabeth Smith McKenzie (23), described as a housekeeper, and George Hlgginson (34), engineer, were charged before Mr Hedderwick- with criminal offences in connection with a girl named Virginia Buchanan, whose parents reside ln Dundee.

In detailing the circumstances, Mr Bodkin aoid that the case was a remarkable and serious one. Briefly, It was that an innocent girl had been induced to leave her parents in Scotland- to take up what she thought to be a respectable situation Id Canterbury, and when she got there — fenndreds of miles from ■her friends — she -was detmebed. In August, said counsel, an advertisement appeared In the "Dundee Evening Telegraph" as follows:— ! "WANTED, TWO REFINED GIRLS, as cook and house-tablemaid to go to London with a lady." At that time Miss Buchanan and Iher elder sister , were anxious to come to London, and the elder sister replied. She got into communication with JdcKenzle, who was then posing in Dundee as Mrs Hlgginson; and she engaged both sisters, after seeing that their references were satisfactory. However, as the father fell out of work, the older sister could not leave home, and it was arranged that Mrs Hlgginson should take the girl Virginia only. They went by boat, and on the -way the female prisoner explained that she was not Mrs Hlgginson, but Miss McKenzie, and that she acted as a housekeeper to Mr Hlgginson. Tie -woman, said counsel, made excuses for single girls who were immoral. < They arrived at Highbury on the 9th of September, and at once set to work to prepare the house for the reception of the prisoner Hlgginson. The latter arrived on the 14th. He seemed, remarked Mr Bodkin, to be an extraordinary man,. imbued with Eastern ideas, and the bouse had been arranged accordingly. The female prisoner, he continued, told the girl It would he necessary for her to wear a costume consisting of a blue jacket and knickers, white openwork stockings, end pink shoes—a costume as spare as any footballer's; that Mr Hlgginson had been.in the East, and liked to see girls ln attendance upon him

IN EASTERN COSTUME; that it would be necessary to bathe the master every night and morning, and that She must be in attendance upon him ln his study between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., when she would have to wear a mauve costume of similar character. The female prisoner told the girl that such duties were usually performed by female servants in London. She also took the girl to the West End, and pointed out certain women. Mr Bodkin went on to say that at night when the girl went to bed she found improper books left for her to read. On September 14, Hlgginson arrived home, and the girl was told to unpack his bag and undress him. She then accompanied him to the bathroom and bathed him, after which she dried him, attiTed him ln pink nnd white silk pyjamas, and put him to bedjs At 2 a.m. she was awakened by an alarm clock, UntiL then she had to aronse the prisoner 'Hlgginson, and dress him in a rose-coloured costume. Hlgginson proceeded to his study, where the girl had to attend upon him, hand him pencils and books, and make 'him tea. Miss Buchanan was then attired in a mauve (or mole) coloured costume.

THE STUDY WAS PECULIARLY LIGHTED, and curtained, and the floor was covered with a heavy mauve felt carpet, while the walls were hung with the pictures of nude women. At 4 a.m. the girl put the man to bed again, and aroused him at 8.30 a.m. She then went with him to the bathroom, sprayed him, and dressed him. Hlgginson had his breakfast at ten o'clock each morning, nnd then left for business, returning nt 7 p.m. The girl then gave him another bath, dressed him, and he and Miss McKenzle had dinner ln the - dining room, while the girl had hers in the kitchen. This, said Mr Bodkin, was the routine followed for several days. The prisoner Higglnson during the ablutions wore a towel round the middle of his body. The girl Buchanan was a Roman Catholic, and was allowed by the prisoners to attend the Catholic Church ln Colebrook Row, Islington, and to the priest at the church she presented a letter of introduction from the priest ln Scotland. It was true that the girl made no

COMPLAINT TO THE PRIEST during the first week. Between September 25 and October 9, however, said Mr Bodkin, other events took place, with the assistance of the female prisoner, in the drawing room, the girl having first been rendered helpless, her limbs having been strapped. On October 9 the girl was allowed to go to church, and she then informed the priest of what bad taken place. The priest very properly communicated -with the police, and the girl was placed ln proper core. Meanwhile, as she did not return home, Hlgginson reported her as missing to the police. By that time, however, the police knew of what had taken place. They visited the house at Grangeroad, and finding ample corroboration of the girl's story, they applied for warrants, and the prisoners were arrested. Certain articles were found which showed only too clearly the practices which went on in the house. THE GIRL'S STORY. Miss Buchanan went into the, witness box and gave evidence at length in support of counsel's statement She said that she brought away with her clothes suitable for a serving maid, and the female prisoner knew what she said. Her sister, father, and mother came to the boat to see them off, and when they arrived In London -the woman sent a telegram to her (the witnesses') mother announcing their arrival. The female prisoner made the "Eastern" costumes after they arrived in London. After a few days the witness told the woman that she must return home, but McKenzle said she would have to work three months before she had repaid the money it cost to bring her to London. She wa* to bar* £12 a jraar.