THE LONDON PROCURATION CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7650, 29 May 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE LONDON PROCURATION CASE.

VERDICT AND SENTENCE. At the Old Bailey on April 9, before Mr. Justice Wills, Louisa Hart, aged 21, was indicted for conspiring with a man, whose name is unknown, to procure Koaic Shires, a girl under the age cf 21 years. There are four other counts in tho indictment. Tho first of these charges her that she, being the occupier of certain premises, did induce Kosie Shires, a girl under 13 years, to resort to such premises for immoral purposes. Tho next two counts allege similar offences with respect to Florence tiichardson, a girl between the ages of 13 and 10 : and the last count charged the prisoner with aiding and abetting a certain man, whoso name is unknown, to indecently afsault Kosio Shires. The prosecution w.-.s conducted by Mr. Poland and Mr. Mi ad; the prisoner being dtfei.ded by Mr. Bowi-n Rowlands, Q.C., i Mr. Moyr.cs, and Mr. Parkes. Th.i prisoner, an interesting, respectablelooking young woman, pleaded not guilty to tin; several counts of the indictment. Kosie Shires, a tall, well-grown girl for her :■■"(-, waa then sworn, and. in answer to .Mr. >ifiu'!, er.idshr knew Mrj. Bedford, living in Albauy-Btrcct, and that in the summer of last year she tcok messages to her from her mother. Sho met Mrs. Hart there in June of last year. .Prisoner asked her to go to her house to sco her, and witness consented. Sho gave her a card, and told her to put it into her pocket, raid not to let anyone see it. Sho had burnt it. Witness had & friend, Plorrie Kicimnhjou, living near her, at llolloway. She showed her the card, and asked her io era with lur. On the following Monday they went to -1:5, Markhara Square, and saw the prisoner, who was dismounting from horseback. They went in, and had tea with her, and the prisoner said a gentleman would conic to see her, and give her a lot of money. It waa an old gentleman. (Witness burst into ie.i"s, and seemed to fully realise her position.) sii,, described the back drawingroom used .-is :■. be.iroom. to which the prisoner took b-.v and Florrie. Then the old jyutlein.in caino into the room. The tic ess, who could hardly speak for her ■emotion?, said he was very rudeto them, and described indecency rnd i'linmraUty, but nothing beyond that. Prisoner then er.'.ne into tho room and said, " (Jcir.c along, girls, it is ge-tting'.lato." The Old gentkiv.rin went dcv. nst.xirs. Tin prisoner g;;ve them 10-3 each, ;\nl witness '.U (i.l to pay for a i-.-.'.». .Before ler.vinrr, prisoner α-iksd them to come o-ain. On the following Thursday she went with Florrie. Richardson r.<::v.", a:id iaw the snmn old m.-.u that they had seen 1 cum , , Prisoner said he wanted to pro the:-::. bu: could not str.y. 'i hoy had tea. Mrs. Llart gave them _s, r.nd they went home. Before the following Saturday Florrie gave witness a letter, which she had destroyed, but in consequence of that letter she went alone to the prisoner's house. In tho front room she saw Fiorric, who made a statement. Prisoner gave b'lorrie 10s, liui did not >!ivc witness anything, and she went away. On the Thursday the prisoner asked tho'v.-itntsa how old she was, and she said she v,:;? tv.cive. Prisoner told her on the third occasion she waa going to Brighton. Witnc-s went or.ee more to Markkam t?«mare, a'-l saw the s.v.r.e eld man, who <T.'ve lur It';. After that, having received a letter from the piironer, she went to Fulham Place jus: before Caristmas, a week or a fortnight. There v.r.o r. bedrcjm in the front jnarlou'r, and sho went in there, and saw an old man. \\"iti;c;3 then described how her ruin had bc-n brought about. The prisoner caret* in and gave her a sovereign, and then the c. r:e to the door and let her cat. Witness went a second time after Christmas, and saw the prisoner, who ir.trouiicHM a young gentleman in another room. She received money on that occasion. Witness recollected her mother finding the letter (produced) in lur pocket. On tlu fecond cession at lulbam, prisoner asked why Florrie had not conic, and witness told her she had to go out. After finding tl:o letter witness saw Inspector Morgan. Witness would bo 1, , ; en the loth of next June'. Cross-examined by Mr. Bowcn Rowlands : Witness hart acted at several theatres. 11-r mother dyed her hair for the theatre, and she had her face painted for the stage. She knew a Mrs. Douglas, but riie v/as not r. houaekesper r.t '■'■'>, Albany-street. i-'he knew that No. 'J ami ho. :'."> balonged to Mad?.mo Frederick, but she did net know the character of the houses. She and Florrio v,-ei:t to school together, and stayed at home to go to Albany-street. Her mother let lodgings, and there v.*r.« p. family named Curtain lodgir.g there. he went about often with Nelly Curtr-.iu, who was '20, and did not scorn to do anything. Son;ttiiac3 they went cut in the evening. She and Nelly went together to Yarmouth to lodgiags. Witness, mother kuc.v o; lisr i-oir,.-. She knew Fir.r.k Hill, a young man, out he vras not at the same hctisrc in Varnioutl , .. She had seen liiui before in London, »ud aho belitved her mother liner. - him. Her mother carco to Yamnuth to a r .e how Eke was , , and -he told l:er then about secir.g Frank Hill. Mr, Curtain carce with her mother. Nelly did rot live at her mother now, bat the rest of the iarniiy did. Ne'.iy knew soma young men r.t Yarmouth, r.:::I they came to see her at Yarmouth. Several other witnesses were examined. [•'or the defene , .! , , Mr. B;wan Rowlands c'. :trd not to call svilricaac?. Mr. Meed Ijrif-C;. :.-■.:inmc:l up the case. Mr. J-Jowen i:o\/lauda addressed the jury for prisoner. T:ie .I'jriL'.?, in tnr.iming up, carefully eryi'.iined the acctici a of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, aud the lav/ of aiding and abottinf.;. 'J he jury, after a few minutes' consultation, found the prisoner guilty on the first count, but not on the second, thinking she may have been deceived as to Jlotia Zaire's When called upen, the prisoner said : I might bavfi cleared my£'.'!i if 1 had been put into the witness-box. 'Ihe Judr;o sentenced her to five years' pen;! Htrvtude. When t! a s-.eiitcncs wa3 pronounced the prisoner fell down insensible, aud was curried out of court.