ALLEGED EXHIBITIONISTS.

NZ Truth, Issue 184, 26 December 1908, Page 5

ALLEGED EXHIBITIONISTS.

CASES BEFORE THE CHRISTCHURCH COURT.

Jennings Acquitted : Barker Committed.

A CLOUD OF FEMALE WITNESSES.

What They Swore They Saw.

The precincts of Christchurch Magistrate's Court looked like a Sunday school picnic or a kindergarten school on Saturday last, when Walter Edward Jennings and George Henry Barker were brought up on the unpleasant charge of exposing themselves to various persons, and m the case of Barker at divers times. It seemed a pity that this gathering of girls, some of whom are quite big youngsters, should have been contaminated by haying thoughts placed m their minds that should never have been there, and as the cases presented by the police for answer by Barker represent only a few of those reported, the widespread nature ol the mischief done can be understood. Toe case (there was only one) against Jennings was. taken first, when he was charged, with indecent exposure belore three, little ; girls, at Wpblston, on November 30th. Jennings, however, was the only one dealt with on Saturday, when Magistrate Day found . the evidence of the three girls so conflicting that ; ' ■ HE DECLINED TO CONVICT. The parents of the children were not present, but the chairman of the Opawa School' Committee and, the - headmaster of the OpaWa school, which the youngsters attend, were allowed into Court as temporary guardians of the kids, the Court being otherwise cleared.' . Station-Sergeant Johnston prosecuted. Jennings elected to be dealt with summarily. \ : The first witness was a little girl of ten, who said that on Monday, November 00, sHewas going. to school m company with two other girls after one o'clock, when they met Jennings, who exposed himself. The man made no remark at the time. She was certain that Jennings was 'the man. She had seen him also on December 2nd and i)th standing 'near the bridge, but he' did not then expose himself. ' , To Mr Donnelly : On the 30th November Jennings was standing up near a 'tree, and his bike wag m the vicinity. He wore a grey cap, black shoes and blueblack clothes. She identified Jennings subsequently when Constable McCormick pointed him out and asked her, "Is that the man ?" I ' The next youngster was old enough to be sworn, and her evidence . differed from that of the last witness m that tJhey were going home to dinner and not to school when they saw him expose himself. The third girl also stated that the man had a dark suit and straw hat on. In reply to Mr Donnelly this youngster differed fr6m the first one as to time. She stated the occurrence was at 10 past 12 o'clock. Also that the man was "lying down" m the tree. Constable McCormick stated that he arrested the man upon tlie description given by the girls. Subsequently they met Jennings as the girls were coming from school at 4 p.m., 'and they pointed him out as the man. The constable thought ( it odd that Jennings should ride^ a bike on the rough road where the incident had taken place. His Worship remarked that one had said that : the man was standing m the tree, another that he Was sitting, and the , ( last" that he was lying down. ■ Counsel further remarked upon other inconsistencies, and his Worship intimated that he cquldn't convict, on. the evidence. ''The prisoner was- discharged. George Henry Barker was then brought m and charged upon seven different informations with indecently exposing himself. Here* a peculiar thing happened., end of tflie youngsters who had given evidence against Jennings now turned round and GAZED AT BARKER WITH WIDEOPKN EYDS, and directed , the attention of one of'tho othsr girls to him. When they had passed out, a detective and a policeman opened a Court door and gave the three guls an unobstructed view of Barker, but the result of the inspection is not known. The indecent exposure offences attributed to Barker were committed : On December 1, at Spreydon ; on September 24, at corner of Hanmer-s-treet and Fendalton Road • on "december 8, at Park Koad, Fendalton ; on October 12, at the Canal Reserve, Bromley ; on November 30, ldris ; Road, Fendalton ; on November 30, Jeffries Road, Fendalton; on November 25, Norman's Road, St. Albans. There' is; plenty of variety about this list, but the culprit's affection (if culprit he is) seems ; to have been mainly centred upon Fendalton. » Under the unusual circums'fcances, Mr Donnelly, said,. the accused would elect to be tried By x a jury, and asked for an adjournment as counsel was ,not even informed of the date af the one charge that had been read. . ■ - • Chief . 'Tec. Bishop pointed out thaib the man had already been remanded once and large number", of witnesses ' were m attendance. . . ; Magistrate Day said he would certainly .{ not undertake the work of taking such lengthy depositions on a Saturday, and with the consent of the. parties Barker .j was remanded till Monday. - ] On Monday the first case taken against George Henry Barker, beforo Justices Gapes and Clarke, was that charging him ■ with indecent exposure m Hoon. taay Road, Spreydon, on December Ist. Barker, who elected to be tried by a jury, pleaded not guilty and was defended by Mr Donnelly. On the application of Chief 'Tec. Bishop the names of witnesses, but not the evidence, were ordered to be suppressed. The detective mentioned that on the *day prior to Barker's arrest, another man (Jennings) was apprehended on a 'similar charge, but the four witnesses m the present "case were unable to • identify him at the police station. When Barker was taken into custody, however, they selected him without hesitation, from amongst a number of • other men, as' tflio exhibitionist. , . . : A dark-haired girl about 15, dressed m blue, stated that she lived with her parents m Hoon Hay Road. On December 1, she was returning from school m the at-, ternoon, and she got into Hoon Hay Koad about 5 p.m. Here she met Barker riding his hike, from which he dismounted when he was about twenty-five yards from the girl. It appeared to the damsel THAT HE WAS WAITING FOR HER, and she didn't like -to pass him. She turned back, and when he saw her do that Barker turned the other way. The witness met another little girl and the two returned, when the first girl saw her father and mother pass Barker and go along the road. The girls then went aheatl and observed Barker beside his machine on the road, and as they passed he,exposed himself to them. He made no remark at the time, but the dark-haired girl called out to him as she went that she would tell the police. Barker then jumped on his machine and rode away. Two or three days later the witness saw the man again near the Black Horse Hotel. On December 11 she came to Ohristchurch police station and selected him Irom anumber of other men as tho perpetrator of . the indecent act. She also picked out his bike from' a number of others /as the one she had seen at Hoon Hay Road and also at the Black Horse Hotel. A fairhaired girl gave corroborative evidence. Two boys, one of thirteen and the other fifteen^ whom the first girl stopped and told them to tell the fair-liaired £irl to hurry up, were called. , The younger lad, said they watched Barker because they thought he was a competitor m & road race, identified the man and . also the bike, which is an unusual racing machine, the front handle oars being dei pressed to within a foot of J&e tt.ont'

I wheel. The elder youth wasn't sure o£ I the man, but selected Barker's bike from among others at the police station. 'Tec. Ward deposed to taking the iden-» tified clothing from Barker's room ia Cashel-street, also a tan pair of boots. 'Tec. Gibson arrested Barker, who der nied exposing himself. He wouldn't say where he was on December 1. This was the case for the prosecution, and .Barker, reserving his defence, was committed for trial. He was further charged with an inder cent offence at Fendalton. ' At 3 p.m. on 24th December last, a girl, apparently about 17, said she was riding her bike at Fendalton, when slib saw- Barker standing at the corner o£ Hanmer-street and Fendalton Road, ■when; he exposed himself to her. Shortly after she met the postman and told him what had happened. On Friday, December 11, THE GIRL WENT TO THE FOUOIi STATION . and identified Barker. . ■. ■ A Ohristchurch letter-carrier . testified that the girl- had raaae a complaint to him, as stated, and the person with tfas whistle recognised Barker as the individual complained of, who got on hjs bike, and rode away. The carrier bad seeii the man more than once. . On December 11 'Tec. .Gibson met Barker at Fendalton, when he was riding a "BeM" bike, and also claimed the, racing bike (produced), explaining that he had been visiting a resident oi Fendalton on tfhe previous night, and hair left the bike there. He saia he had only been m fendalton three times m his life. Barker acknowledged ownership of the brown suit and light cap.\ . Defence reserved, and committed foe trial. ;■■■■■. '-' - '-■ ' The Bromley' case was the next taken. A girl of fifteen, , who looks older, stated that on October 12 she was m company with another girl: at 5.30 p.m., on the canal reserve, when they saw Barker, whom they passed on their • machines.. Barker passed them afterwards, and placed his bike on a wooden" rail bridge on the reserve. As they came up slowly he exposed himself and waved his hand. The girls .went on and stopped at the ■ house of a lady resident. At the tfime Barker was wearing a fcflue coat, brown knickers, brown stockings, green cap,' light taa boots— lighter, she thought, than thoss produced m Court. . To Mr Donnelly the girl said they were about 200 yards from Barker when ha waved his hand. At the ttime shu didn't see his face, but she recognised him when she saw him later. The pants and boots looked darker m the Court. A seventeen year-old girl,- wno was MUCH DISTRESSED 1M THJU WITNESS-BOX. stated that when th«y first sayr Barter he was off; his bike and standing with Ms back to them-, then he got on his macuia© and rode further up. She also described the exposure,' Barker afterwards coming up to the corner where the girls -vrete' standing with, the lauy resident, and U*an riding off down Hargood-strest. Sh« identified the clothing. To Mr . Donnelly : She. dida't agree with the first girl about the distance they were away when Barker exposed himself". They were about twenty-five yards only from the man. •- ~ A girl of fifteen, sister of a previous witness, saw Barber walking along t'ae side of the road,, with his uik« stu.ui.ig on the bridge. This girl didn't witness the exposure, but at the moment stbe saw her sister and the other girl disappear round the corner on their machines. > This witness gave a similar description oi tke clothing and boots to that given by tizo other two witnesses, and said the articles produced were very like those worn •'by the man. ' The woman .resident, already mentioned, identified as tiie man who had ridden - past her just after the alleged offence. She had seen him a week previously" on the canal reserve near where she lived. Committed for trial. , The Irvis Road charge was next taken. •A dark, curly-headed girl of 12^ years said: she was returning from school on tiie afternoon of November 30. with two other little girls, when they saw Barter on Bis bike. He pedalled as far as SkeJU ley's; Lane; * where he dismounted. The girls iwrere on the other side of the street and siaw him expose himself, after which he gat on his bike and departed. Barker ■was dressed m a dark serge coat, fancy, stockings ana tan boots; with dark green cap.'i ' '■■ ' •• : - ■ The gffl. said to Mr Donnelly ttot sne told .her mother when she got home of ' the Occurrence and described the man. A Jjittie girl of ten and another: of thir* . teen (twho Usp,ed). gave corroborative evfe' denee.'. ....... Accused committed. . A misdemeanor, m JoSries. Road formed the basis of the nest charge, tho lastt witness mi the previous case stating m evidence that she was^ returning, from school :at..&20 p^in.,. and when n«ar hec parents' residence she /fiat JBarkcr, who asfked ncr a'rude question, and "then exposed hiimsolfc. He was .dressed, similarly to the. description given m Ythe last case, the occurrence, connected with which took? place on the same day, (November 30). One of the previous witnesses (■vfho ha* to catch a train) will be called m the* Supreme Court to prove toat Barker wasr m the locality at the time. Accused committed. :An indecent exposure In Park Koadj ;Fendaltbn, was then .alleged. A' young woman stated that A she sawi Barker on December 8, at 5.30 p.m. The man passed! tier on' his bike, rode . somei distance, and returned. Ho stopped a-» gainst an adjoining fence, and, without . getting off his machine, exposed himsdlf* at the satne time ' MAKING AN UNPLEASANT REMARK^ > He wore a navy hluo coat, tan boots 4 , brown stockings^ and • a greenish cap. Tlii* % girl subsequently identified Barker at the* police station.. "She was. alone when theexposure took place.' This was the. only evidence with thro exception of that of 'Tecs. Ward antf Gibson. Accusefl committed. Barker was next charged with an oU ' fence at Fendalton. A girl of fourteen stated that abouit October 25 last as she was returning on a bike from .the Papanui school at about 4.20, Barker overtop* her haltf way down Norman's Road, fendalton, and kepte pace with her. As \he rode beside her lie* asked her a vufgar .question, twice, nndt she saw something indecent The girl Jm-i mediately jumped of! nor bike, and return* ed to a spot where isbennet her sister., A few days before Barker was arrested she again saw him m. Jcffertcs Road, but he "did not then expose himself. The ati tiro worn by him on >the 25th coiripri'-ecl tan boots, red-brown, striped trousers,, dark-blue coat, and greenish cap On December 10 she saw him, opposite her pines pumping up his' bike. ' She afterwards identified him at the pdlici station. To Mr Donnelly : Another girt had toitf her that tlwrc was a roan goins .-ibont, hut she didn't say what he was m Iho »u-.---bit of doing • merely thnt hi; v.:i^ .•I»mi<* something to girls. 'Tec-. Gibson aflci n'-H'^tins ":r> hv.T.i, r evidence, .-;iiil that wV;i .uicsiO'l r.ii-:-.T had a medal n Ins ihi.v-xvsicu,. jiltsi-js-. .•'■ for csLahlisliiujf a. hike ivotud c\<i ".') miles m Yorkshire. Accused, pleaded' not u;»i.ill.y t •'-,-•, votl his defence, and was eoiiM.iitU-.i !nr ■!•■.; Unil was ;uimvo<l, abused \u iJO ■&< .two. othcis oi iuO «*«&* V