THE "FASTING LADY."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 239, 8 October 1932, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE "FASTING LADY."

HOW SHE WAo FED. REVELATION IN COURT. PROMOTER SENT TO GAOL. Miss Tomlinson —known as "Miss June" —the eighteen-year-old girl who was "leading lady" in the now famous "fasting" exhibition at Margate, last month told of the experiences leading to her appearance in a glass case, and to that of her manager in the dock. She gave evidence at the Canterbury Quarter Sessions against Herbert Gould, aged 35, traveller, of Hendon, who was charged with obtaining money by false pretences. Gould was sentenced to a month's imprisonment in the second division. Pantomime Parts. "Miss June" is a young, pretty, north country girl who has appeared in pantomime and with a touring company. "It's just been dreadful," she said, with a faint smile, "but it's' all over now and I am going back to my mother for a little while. Then I hope to get another job on the stage. I want to try and forget the nightmare in which I have lived." "Miss June"—only just turned eighteen— buried her face in her hands. "You see, I was an only child," she said, "and when father died I had to find a job, although I was only just over fourteen at the time. I was lucky enough to be able to join a small touring company, and from any scanty wages I managed each week to send my mother a little money. Things were going well, and both of us were happy, until last Christmas after appearing in pantomime I fell out of work.

"The weeks dragged by. I tried hard. But I oould not get another job. Somehow mother and I managed to get along. Then*, at Easter, I saw an advertisement in a theatrical paper offering employment

to an actress wlio was willing to do artistic posing. I wrote at once, went to London, and sot the job. From that very day the battle began between my conscience and' my desire not to prove a drag on my mother. Very soon I realised that I had accepted a job that had risks. I realised that it was degrading. "Gay Paree." "Six weeks went by, and by this time mv friend, Miss Violet Mather, had joined me. . She was a dancer, but could not find employment. We went from showground to showground all round the country posing in a little tent that was erected wherever we stopped. It would be announced outside the tent that we were from 'Gay Paree,' and men, paying 2d a time, would -crowd in to stare at ue

as we' posed. It was terrible, and often it nearly drove me mad, but something seemed to hold me, and much as I wanted I could not run away. Fasting. "We worked our posing show down into Kent and afGravesend. I don't know what made me join the 'fasting' show, but I consented to go into the glass case. I was promised £7 if I stayed in for the 44 days and nights. "I took some clothes and books and went into the case one day. The first few days were all right, but as a week, and then two weeks, crept by it was unendurable. My conscience began to worry me again, and I thought of various ways to get out. I was afraid, and knew I should in the end have to get hold of the police. It meant, however, that I should not be able to send any more money to my mother. "I became terribly drowsy in the glass case. I could only sleep. My senses seemed to 'be drifting quite away. Then one night I wrote a letter to the police, and when nobody was looking I managed to attract the attention of two boys. I passed the note under the bottom of the case. As I did that a load seemed to slip from my mind, even though it meant sacrificing my mother for a time. "Then the police came and we were all arrested. I could even bear that, knowing that in the end I should get back to my home." When the ease came before the Quarter Sessions Gould was charged jointly with Robert Todd, aged 63, general dealer, of YVhitstable" with conspiring to obtain money by false pretences. Both men pleaded not guilty. A Job at Last. They pleaded not guilty also to separate charges of obtaining money by false pretences in connection with the "fasting" exhibition at Margate. Mr. L. Fletcher, for the prosecution, said that Gould told Miss Tomlinson that she would have to go into a cabinet at a chemist's shop in Margate for 44 days and nights, and that she would receive £1 a week. During the eighteen days the show was running with an admission fee of 2d a head, it was found that £139 had been received. Just as Miss Tomlinson entered the cabinet, she would say, Gould told her that it was not going to be a genuine fast, and that she would be fed night and morning. She was supplied with sandwiches, rissoles, a beefs extract, tea, and on two occasions, whisky. Todd's defence was that he was interested financially, but ( knew nothing about the "fasting lady." Eating in Bed. In evidence, Miss Tomlinson said that Gould sometimes handed the food to her. As a rule, she received it twice daily. It was generally passed to her through a wooden panel, and sometimes through the glass panels. "I was told," she 6aid, "that if anyone came while I was eating to put my head under the bedclothes." The Chief Constable of Margate, Mr. W. Palmer, handed in a notice which he said was on the cabinet, and which ran, "Please don't produce, eat or mention food in front of this cabinet." Another notice stated, "Now passing the hunger stage; can she endure?" A third ran, "Passed feeling hunger; can she endure?" Todd, addressing the jury from the dock, said he had been a showman for 40 years. He took the premises at Margate, but so far as the show was concerned, it was left entirely in the hands of Gould. He did not know whether Miss Tomlinson was fasting or not. The jury found the two men not guilty on the charge of conspiracy. On the separate charges they found Todd not guilty, and Gould guilty. Gould, in addition to receiving sentence of imprisonment, was ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution.