SHOWMAN FINED

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 77, 1 April 1933, Page 13

SHOWMAN FINED

GATHERING A CROWD

STUCK PIN IN A BOY

CLAIM TO HYPNOTISM

"This is a case where a hypnotist stuck a pin into the arm of a boy at the Epsom Showgrounds," said Detec-tive-Sergeant McHugh in the Auckland Police Court, when P. It. Murfitt was charged with assaulting Gordon Alfred Gosse by pricking him on the right forearm with a pin, states a report in the Auckland "Star." The accused, through counsel; pleaded not guilty. Gosse, a schoolboy, 11 years of age, said he was at the A. and P. Show at Epsom on February 25. He saw the accused there standing behind a box. Murfitt was demonstrating a patent cube of soap for cleaning clothes. "Ho asked someone, to step forward and picked oii me," said witness. "I did so and he blindfolded my eyes. I could not see what ho was doing. I 1 then heard him say something about putting the pin in. I then fclf some pressure on my arm. He drove the pin in to the head and I could feel the puncture; I took the blindfold, off my eyes and walked away. I then felt funny." Detective-Sergeant McHugh: Did you faint?—No, it -wasn't that I fainted, but I felt sick, and a man lowered me to the ground and I wag afterwards attended to by the St. John Ambulance. Detectivc-Serge;nit McHiigh: When you walked forward what did you think Murfitt was going to do? —Take some stains off my clothes. Mr.. Noble, for the accused: Didn't you know you would be s pricked on the arm and did he not say you would not feoUt?—No. Did you see him prick himself on the arm? —oSTo. ■ INTERVIEWED BY CONSTABLE. Constable Milligau said he saw Murfitt standing on a box at the show demonstrating a patent cleaner for clothes. He also saw the boy Gosse as ho was falling to the ground. Witness questioned Murfitt as to what happened, Murfitt-.remarking that ho did not know what was wrong. "Murfitt was under the influence of liquor, and as a crowd had collected I', asked, him to go to the secretary's office with me," said the witness. "Murfitt "then mado a statement in which ho said ho was a showman and that he could, not get a stand to present hypnotic feats, as he did not have tho necessary £1 10s fee. He admitted asking someone to coma, forward, and also in the statement admitted inserting the .pin.up to tho head in tho boy's arm. He-said the boy did not complain of any pain and the boy walked away* Murfitt further .admits having, six glasses of beer that day." Mr. Noble: You took him to the secretary's office?— Yes, because some of the crowd were hostile to him/ "This is a pin-pricking affair from start to finish," said Mr. Noble. "Why, even soldiers atthe war would faint if they had a needle inserted in the arm. There was really no ' harm in what Murfitt did. Tho pin did not go in up to the head.- The boy was not hurt in any way— Mr. Hunt: Let him try it on himself, and not others, then. MAGISTRATE'S ATTITUDE. Murfitt gave evidence. "When I start, I usually stick pins in myself," he said. "I asked someone to come forward just to show I can do it to anybody else without it hurting them. I do that just to get a crowd to collect. The pin-pricking .trick is a common thing and I've done it for years. There's no harm in it, sir." ' ''Men can look; after themselves, but some boys cannot," said the Magistrate. Detective-Sergeant McHugh: What's your occupation, Murfitt?—A showman, a driver, labouring. What do you know about this hypnotic business? —I studied it when I was a. boy. My brother is a professor of hypnotism. Wo have both staged shows for years. Is it not a fact that you employ a number of men as "dummies" for your show!—L have some of my men about sometimes. You did not have any dummies that day, so you got the boy. You have been up for assault before ?—Yes, in 1918, for punching a man. And on another occasion, too? — Mr. Hunt: That docs not matter, that's not the same sort of assault as this was. la fining Murfitt £1 the Magistrate told him he must not try such tricks on boys. Default was fixed at three daj's' imprisonment, and seven clays were allowed in which to pay the fine.