SURPRISE FOR POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18131, 1 July 1922, Page 11

SURPRISE FOR POLICE.

CHARGES AGAINST TELFORD.

COLLAPSE OF THE CASE.

WITNESS' CHANGE OP FRONT

There* -were extraordinaiy developments at the Magistrate's Court in Wellington during the hearing of charges against Hugh Telford, the well-known racehorse trainer, of Trentham. The charges concerned a female over 12 and under 16 years of age- The offences were alleged to have been committed at Trentham on March 9, May 6, and May 9 of this year. On the application of Chief-Detective Kemp, the charge relating to May 9 was withdrawn.

Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for the accused, who pleaded not guilty. When the girl in question, who will be 14 years of age on August 2 next, was giving her evidence, she said that a man bad taken her on two occasions into a ticket box at Trentham, but the man was not the accused.

Chief-Detective Kemp: Why did you tell the detectives when you came with your father and mother to the detective office that the man was the accused?

Witness: Because Mrs. Telford had told me that I had been seen with the accused, and I did not know what to

say. Since when have you said that tho man was not the accused?— Since last night. What made you change your mind?— I knew that I would have to tell the truth in Court, and I told my mother that the man was not the accused. But you made and signed a statement at the detectivo office that the man was the. accused.

Mr. O'Leary submitted that the Crown could not yet treat the witness as hostile. Chief-Detective Kemp: Very well Who, then was the man?—l do not know. I have never seen him before.

Have you scon hiny since?— No. Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.: Trentham is a small place. Surely you would know almost everyone there? What was the man like? How was he dressed?—No answer.

Chief Detective Astounded. Chief-Detective Kemp said he was astounded at the girl's change of story, but he would go on with the evidence. James Lockhart Familton, the girl's father, said ho remembered bringing his daughter to the detective office on June 13, when his daughter made a statement. She had made the statement very freely to him. When witness had seen accused about the matter, the latter said : "This is a bad job." The accused added that Mrs. Telford was a greedy woman for money, and the only thing he couJd gee was for him to take over the mortgage of £650 which Mrs. Telford held over witness's house. Accused said he and witnes could come to some arrangement. His Worship : About what? Witness: J suppose he, meant .about the house, Your Worship. Chief-Detective Kemp \ Have you had any conversation with your daughter on this subject?— No. His Worship: Do you mean to say that your daughter was assaulted and you never spoke one word to her about it?— Not on that subject His Worship : What . sort of a. little girl is this of yours?— She has always been truthfofl before. In answer to the Bench, the witness said that the girl's aunt had found out that the girl bad been telling lies to the detectives. She had spent the weekend with her aunt at Silverstream, and the aunt had brought her home at the beginning of the week, when the aunt told witness's wife that the girl, had been telling liaj. The Mother's Evidence. • Mary Familton, the mother of the girl, said that in consequence of something she had heard, witness had her daughter medically examined on June 12. The statement her daughter made at the detective office was the same she had made to witness. The girl had told the same story right up until Tuesday night, when she came home and said it was not the accused who had assaulted her. George Williams, head ({table lad for the accused, said he had his meals at Familton's. Chief Detective Kemp : Did you accompany Familton over to Telford's on Sunday, June 11?— No. Be careful, nowj you are on your oath. If Familton swears that you accompanied him to Telford's, he is telling a lie?— Yes. "This is as far as I can go with the case, Your Worship," said the chief detective. "Well, I cannot help you," said the magistrate. 'The case is dismissed." Chief-Detective Kemp: I ask that none of the witnesses, except Dr. Kemp, be allowed expenses. Mr. O'Leary: I do not hold any brief for the witnesses, Your Worship, but I consider the parents are entitled to expenses. The Magistrate : They will have to put up with it if they have a lying little daughter.