THE CONROY CASE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 24 November 1927, Page 9

THE CONROY CASE

SERIOUS OFFENCES ALLEGED.

TRIAL IN SUPREME COURT. OPENING OP CROWN’S CASE. (BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL TO “THE STAR.”) NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 24. Albert Morgan Conroy, formerly picture theatre -proprietor, of Ilawera, pleaded not guilty before Mr Justice Ostler at the Supreme Court to-day to ten charges, involving- indecency with males and one of attempted suicide. An attempt at suicide was alleged to have been made at accused’s farm at Matapu on August 11, 1927. The case for the Crown was conducted by Mr C. 11. Weston and the accused was represented by Mr T. M. Wilford and with him Mr P. O’Dea. The court was cleared for the hearing of the ease. In opening the case for the prosecution, Mr Weston said that the accused was a single man, 56 years of age, and was the proprietor of two picture theatres at Ilawera and the owner of a farm of 200 acres at Matapu, where ho resided. Reviewing the charges, Mr Weston said that the incident with the first boy in 1924 was alleged to have taken place when the boy was invited into Conroy’s office at the (Ilawera Opera House. Dealing with the charges relating to Matapu he said that the three, boys had been in accused’s employ on the farm, and on one of the occasions the accused had apparently been considerably under the influence of liquor and in a maudlin way had expressed contrition when remonstrated with by the youth to whose room he had gone. Mr Weston said the jury must be cautious in accepting the suggestion that it was impossible for such tilings to happen, it being well known that, among abnormal people such things did occur. The actual . dates were not very material. Referring to the attempted suicide charge, Mr Weston said that the accused had admitted having taken a drug with the intention oT taking his life when the police called at the farm to make enquiries, which he knew were pending. Following the Crown Prosecutor’s opening, the court adjourned for lunch, the accused being allowed bail on his own recognisance.