A DISORDERLY HOUSE

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12404, 18 January 1901, Page 3

A DISORDERLY HOUSE

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr W. W. Tanner, J.P., Mr B. P. Manbire, 'J.P., and Mr T. York, J.P., Carrie Perham was charged with having kept a house of had repute in Tuam Street. Mr T. S.. Weston appeared for the defence. Alexander Patterson gave evidence that the accused had kept other women at iher house until recently. He had! seen men. -in the house more.or less drunk. Cross-examined, he -statedl-that he had had' occasion to go to the house on business, as he sold onions and potatoes..- John O'Malley stated l that he lived in Tuaro Street, .not far from the accused's house. Theje was a crowd of people there night and day, and it was frequented by drunken men, many' of whom--wentrin cabs.- Joseph Martin, shoesnaker,-: c.f,Tuam v : Street,-- Stated that he had often seen cabs 'and' traps' going l to the accused's house, especially' at night. He had seen two'women at'accused's house, but no men. He had not heard any row going on in the hou?e. Mary Ann Jennett stated! that she had known the accused for a number of years, and knew'that she had a bad name, and kept other women, also nf bad repute. Cross-examined l , the. witness said -she had worked in the accused's house, but had never lived with her. William E. .Sorrell ; s.tated that.he lived in. Tuam Street, nearly opposite the accused's house, and had seen people go to it at all hours of the day and night, arriving mostly in cabs. He had not heard any noise, but people were constantly going to the house, which was a nuisance to the whole of the neighbourhood. He should say that the place was a house, of bad repute, James Tongue, who also resides in Tuam Street, opposite the house of the accused, stated that all day and all ni.ght cabs-drove up to the house, and men got out and went in. The house was a downright nuisance to the neighbourhood. .- Arthur Kingdon, another-resident ia Tuam Street, next accused's house, stated that he was'subjected to much annoyance by the constant traffic of cabs, and by men going to.his house. On one occasion a man walked right into hjs parlour without knocking. Detective Livingstone stated that the accused was keeping a ' house ": of" bad repute, and had been brought before the court previously on a similar charge. Constable 1 Osmond and Sergeant Rodgers also, gave evidence. The Sergeant stated that there had been disorder in the house, and he had been called in to turn out some men who ■ had refused to leave. The accused, also gave evidence,'and for the defence a man named Twomer stated that he kept the accused, and'no men had been to the house, for, immoral., purposes. The statements with regard to the accused's bad character were quite untrue. The accused was not keeping him. Mrs Stenhouse, sister of the accused, .gave a general denial to the statements against'accused's character. Mrs Pviley gave evidence.of asimilar,nature. The Bench unanimously considered that the case had been proved,, that it was a very bad one,, and that a fine would not meet it. The Bench wic-hed to indicate its feeling on the matter, and to mark its disaporobation of the conduct,of the accused, who would be sentenced to one montji's imprisonment, without the option of a'fine. The case had bsen adjourned, and the accused,was ordered y to pay the expenses of the adjournment.