A STORY RETRACTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18889, 11 December 1924, Page 11

A STORY RETRACTED.

FATHER AND DAUGHTERS.

SWORN STATEMENTS DENIED.

CRIMINAL CASE SENSATION.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

NEW PLYMOUTH. Wednesday.

A sensational turn was taken during proceedings in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth to-day when three witnesses denied the truth of the material points in a written statement they had made to the police and in the sworn evidence they had given in the Police Court. The case was one in which Samuel Percy Julian, of Tikorangi, was being tried on six counts of having committed the crime of incest against four of his daughters, his plea being not guilty to all the charges. The eldest of the girls concerned gave her evidence on the lines of her previous testimony, charging her father with two offences against her and denying that she had been interfered with by anyone else. The Crown then called another daughter, aged 18, who had also previously alleged that her father had offended against her. The witness was sworn and the usual formal proceduro prior to the giving of evidence had been completed, when Mr. C. H. Weston, Crown Prosecutor, put a direct question to the girl, asking her if her father had interfered with her. In a low voice the girl replied: "No." repeating the negative when the question was again put to her. Mr. Weston was proceeding to refer to a statement made by the girl to the police and to the typed copies of the evidence she had given in the lower Court, when the Judge, Mr. Justice Macgregor, asked the witness if all the statements she had made previously about her father were untrue. Mr. L. M. Moss, who was conducting the defence, thereupon arose, remarking that he thought ho should acquaint His Honor at that stage with the fact that as soon as he had learned the girl's intention he had immediately notified the Crown Prosecutor and the police. His Honor: The jjirl's intention of what ?

Mr. Moss: Of going back on her evidence.

His Honor: Going back on her evidence- ? How did you learn that ? Mr. Moss said that the girl's mother had told him of the girl's intention and he had taken the action he had mentioned.

Questions Not Answered. His Honor, to the witness: Why have you gone back on your story like this ? Is it to help your mother or to save your father ? The witness did not answer.

His Honor: Who advised you to go bock on your story ?—Nobody; I know ot" You suddenly mado up your mind to tell the truth? Is that it?— No.

The girl denied that her mother had discussed the ease with her since the hearing in tho lower Court, or that she had discussed the case with any lawyer. She admitted having been taken before a justice of the peace, Mr. F. E. Wilson, whom she and her sisters had told they had been telling untruths. Mr-. Weston: When the justice of tho peace told you of the consequences of committing perjury, what did you say then ? No answer was made. Mr. Weston himself then warned the witness as to wbati happened to persons found guilty of perjury. Did you not tell the justice that, under those conditions, \ou would stick to the story you told in the lower Court and to tho police, he asked ?

No answer was returned.

His Honor: Is that so? —No answer.

After further questions his Honor said to the witness: "Why go on with this farco? Why not speak out and tell the truth ? You are not deceiving anyone." The witness did not make any reply. Attributed to a Quarrel.

Mr. Weston: What induced you to tell this untrue story to the police and tho magistrate ? Tho witness said that her father and mother had had a row over work in the shed. Her father had got hold of her mother and said he would shako her. One of the boys had come to the house and had told witness and the others.

His Honor: Why did you tell this'long story to tho police and repeat it to tho magistrate ? —We made it up because father was too strict with us and would not lot us go to dances. His Honor: You tell us that seriously ? Who told you to tell us that ?—Nobody. I never talked about it with anybody. To Mr. Weston the witness said that they had always had the story made up. Mr. Weston: Did you talk about it with your mother '! —No answer. When you told this story to the police in the presence of your mother, what did your mother say?—l don't know what she said.

Did she say anything ?—I don't know. Cross-examined by Mr. Moss, the witness said her brothers were in the conspiracy. She did not know who had suggested it. The next witness called was another sister younger than the previous witness and also one of the alleged victims of the offences. She admitted her signature to a statement to the police and to the typed copies of the evidence she had given in the lower Court, and in reply to a direct question by Mr. Weston denied that her father had ever interfered with her. She said that trio statement she had made to the police was false, as also was her evidence in the lower Court.

The Crown Prosecutor: What induced you to tell untruths in the first place ? —Father was too strict with me and would not let me go to dances. So you made up your mind to tell these wicked lies about your father ?—Yes. Did anybody else make up their minds to do the same '! —My sisters did. Another girl witness was in such a flood of tears that she was incapable of being sworn or of giving evidence. She was ordered to stand down while one of the accused's sons entered the witness box. This witness, a lad, had made charges against his father, alleging that he had caught his father in compromising circumstances. His period in the boxwas practically a repetition of that of his sisters', the lad denying the truth of all material parts of his statement to tho police, and of his evidence in the lower Court. He said that the whole story was made up, so that they could get their father out of the way. At this stage the Court was adjourned until to-morrow.