GIRLS BEFORE THE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 15074, 4 January 1913, Page 5

GIRLS BEFORE THE COURT

■+ Mr Widdowson. S.M., was occupied for two hours this morning with a case on the Juvenile side of the Police Court. Two grds, one aged 19, the other 15. wcts jointly charged with stealing a pin, several articles of clothing, .i y;atch, and 20s in cash from the dwelling of Catherine Gray, iork place. Both pleaded not guiltv, andeach was represented hv her father." Sub-inspector Fouhy'called Mrs 'Gray, that these girl? went to lief place on Thursday morning this week and asked if she could put them up for one night, saving that they might arrange to stay for a fortnight. One girl said she came "from Sydney, the other said she belonged to Green Wand.- They were introduced to witness by a lady friend of here, who said she found-the girls walking about the streets looking for lodgings, and thought the best thing she could do was to take them to witness. They left the house in the afternoon, and then, certain things were missed, some belonging to witness, and the others to Frances Linton, a boarder in the house. Frances Linton deposed that when she returned to the house from a. morning walk she found that Mrs Gray had put these two girls into her bed. not liking to turn them away. • After 4-hey had gone witness missed a gold phi. This led to a general search, and the_ discovery that other things had gone. Witness accompanied a -policeman to the railwav station on the Thursday afternoon, and there saw the younger girl wearing the missing pin. In the evening this girl brought back a jersey, and said that the other girl was wearing one of witness's vnder-dresses. Constable Siwer said that he found both girls at the railway station, about to proceed to Gore. At the station they accused each other of taking the things' from Mrs Gray's. Nothing but a shilling was found on the cider girl. .The younger sir], examined on oath, wid that she met the other girl in the street on New Year's Day. They had been previously acquainted. They'walked up and down the streets till late. Then the elder one suggested that they should ro to her home, but they feared it would be locked un, so they walked about till 5.30 on the Thursday morning. Then they went to Port to visit the elder one's -mint. On re turning to town they searched for lodgings, and near the Public Library met a" lady whom they spoke to. and she took them to Mr.-> Grav'p. There they went to bed at once._ When they they did pome washing and ironing. Then the elder one locked through the tooiu and took -some things. Witness f ook lis and a pin and a jersey, also a belt.

The father- of the older girl said it earned useless for him to ask his girl to give evidence, but.

This accused volunteered to go into the witness-box, and she there swore that the youncer one had told the truth about the rambling and as to the proposal to go to Gore, but nil the rest of the younger girl's story was lies, as she (the 15-yeaj : -old''one) did all the stealing, and refused to take the things back when witness found it o"t and advised her to go back with the articles to Mrs Grav

The evidence on nil points of detail was very contradictory. The father of the younger girl admitted that ehe sometimes staved out late at night, contrary to his wish.

The Magistrate paid there was no doubt at- all as to the guilt of tho younger girl. Mr Axoke.ll said lie knew'this "girl, and was convinced she would be better under different control.

With iremu-d to the elder crirl, the Magistrate said be found considerable difficulty. The very fact of the two- cirls being so closely tosrether miiht make "the elder'one appear guilty, but yet that mieh-t not be so. He must t,iv that th» evidence showed a deplorable state of thinrrs on the part of both the girls that they should be out for the whole of one night. Tie intended to give, the elder <ri.rl the benefit of the doubt so the case against her would be dismissed.' He hoped it would be the lesson of her life. The other girl would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, the conditions being that she should be. of good behaviour and placed under Mr Axolsen's. control, to be sent mto the country to a suitable home selected by him.