ANNIE LOONEY'S LUNACY.

NZ Truth, Issue 133, 17 August 1907, Page 6

ANNIE LOONEY'S LUNACY.

THE. UNWELCOME INFANT

AGAIN.

Magistrate Riddell is Merciful.

Ten years ago a young woman named Annie Looney appeared m the main street m Feilding and' began firing a revolver m an irresponsible manner. Her alleged objective was an errant lover who was working on some scaffolding, but Dr. Charlton obscured the girl's vision for a moment and she lodged the bullet m his head, fortunately without fatal results. Solicitor Reed stepped out of his office to view the disturbance, and, meeting an armed woman, turned to flee, and was shot m the heel. The woman was subsequently committed for trial before the Supreme Court m Wellington on a . charge of unlawfully wounding Dr. Charlton. Mr Wilford defended Looney, and, after hearing the evidence for the. prosecution, asked the jury to bring m a verdict of "guilty of nnjawfully . wounding without intent." The twelve good men and true followed this advice, but Justice Piendcrgast ridiculed the proviso, mid interpreted it as a verdict or "guilty." Mr WiUord appealed, and the Full Court finally held that "guill.y without intent" was tantamount to a verdict of "not guilty," and Annie Looney went free.

Annie's career seems 1o have been a stormy one, for eighteen months back she found herself with an un-

warranted infant, and on Friday week she again appeared m the dock m Wellington charged with neglecting and ill-treating THE SAID ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING. From the evidence of Hans Petersen'/ it would seem that the woman was staying with him for some time prior to 'June 9. Looney went out washing, and the child was m a weak condition. It was constantly crying and the mother spoke harshly, to it at night. Peter sen warned her not to strike the child. The mother lost her temper when handling the kid. Mrs Petersen sent for Dr. Cameron and paid him for his services. In reply to Looney, Petersen said he did not see her strike the youngster. From other evidence, it appeared that the youngster was sent to the hospital under the name of "C'has. Duncan," , and was progressing well, when the mother came and took the infant away, contrary to the wishes of the hospital management. She then went to reside with Mrs Sloan m Taranaki-street, a lady who seemed to have a very kindly heart, and gave up her own bed to her. Mother and child were sleeping on the floor m the kitchen, and Mrs Sloan accepted no money. Mrs Sloan ex-' plained that she (Mrs Sloan) was "rather sulky," and when Looney spoke abruptly to her, she did not speak to her again. Looney took the child to the Benevolent Trustees, and asked for relief, and it -was claimed that the child was too ill to be out on a bitterly cold day. 'Arrangements were made by the lady visitor of the Benevolent Trustees, for other lodgings for the woman m Taranaki-street, but OWING TO" A DISAGREEMENT between Looney and the owner of the house, the landlady refused to take her. Looney, m reply to the Bench, said the child had been seen by Dr. Adams prior to its admission to the hospital. She denied' taking the child away contrary to the desires of the hospital authorities. Dr. Ewart told her to take it away. Sub-Inspector O'Donovan said that was not correct. If necessary, he w.ould have called Dr. Ewart. Witness said she left Mrs Sloan be- | cause she understood from that lady's silence and demeanor that she was not wanted. She had taken the child out when it was ill because she could not leave it at home, and had 'no one to look after it. In reply to a question, Looney said emphatically that she was not willing to allow the child to go into a receiving home. His Worship Riddell, m giving judgment, said the woman appeared to have acted m ignorance to some extent. She certainly did not seem to desire to be parted from the child. Accused was convicted, and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon.