AN AUCKLAND ABDUCTION

NZ Truth, Issue 580, 29 July 1916, Page 5

AN AUCKLAND ABDUCTION

THE BOARDER AND THE LANDLADY'S DAUGHTER

THEY HAD fAUEN IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER

Alick Caldwell Alias McMahon Makes Merry with a Miss

"The Third Case of its Kind" Says the Sub-inspector

An unusual case came before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., at the Auckland Police Court on Monday last, when a yoimg man, Alexander Caldwell, alias McMahon (21), was charged with the abduction of a girl named Beatrice Benfell. Sub-inspector Mcllveney prosocutod and lawyer Allan Moody appeared for accused, who pleaded not guilty. The charge was laid under section 199 of the Justice of tho Peace Act, 190 S. In outlining the case the sub-inspec-tor said the evidence would show that accused and a mate named Millar had been residing with the girl' 9 parents at Chelsea, and a couple of weeks ago the parents " ' - , BECAME SUSPICIOUS OF ACCUSED, f and it was learned that the girl had been getting up out of bed when the hnimtsnoUl had retired and going out with accused. The latter'a mate (Millar) had gone to town and purchased both v wedding and an Engagement ring. The parents were quUo unaware of what weva going on and on Friday of last week accused paid what .he owed for board, then packed a basket with some belongings of his own and tho girl's, and that night when the parents, were asleep accused and the girl came to town and engaged a dou-ble-room m a plrxco m Wollesleystreet, where they passed as hiftn and wife. Tho police were Informed and next morning picked accused and- the girl up at tho Auckland railway station, where accused's mafo/MHlnr, had purchased two tickets. Unknown to and against the wlßh of tho parents the accused had inveigled the girl into leaving her home. Mary Jane Benfell, wife of Frederick James Benfell, said thai she nnd her husband kept a boardlnghouso ut Chelsea. Amongst those boarding at tho house up till a few dtvys ago were accused whom witness knew as Allck Caldwell) and a companion named Millar. Witness had a daughter named Beatrice, who was 16 years of age last month. Accused and Millar went to board with witness about two months ago and gave It out thut they were returned soldiers, Millar was known as Sergeant Millar and witness had seen accused m khaki. A couplo of weeks ago Millar spoke to witness In consequence of which she* (witness) went to accused and asked if it were truo that he had taken her daughter out of her bed at nlgnt after the others had retired. Accused replied there won no harm m It, whereupon witness told htm that the girl was only 16 years of age and if he spoke to her (tho girl) more than was absolutely necessary witness wouid take action and aeo

THAT HE WAS PUNISHED. Accused made no suggestion that ahe should allow him to tako the girl away, nor did he discuss the ques^on of marriage. Two or three weeks ago witness gave an elderly- man permission to take her daughter to the pictures, and the man when outside handed her over to accused. Witness had not given anybody else permission to take the daughter out. The daughter had been well oared for and never lll«tre:itcd by either witness or her husband. On Friday of last week the girt was working

In the house u» uaual And there wn« nothing m her manner to lead witness to au*pect that ahe waa leaving tb,o house. The taat witne&a raw of accused vtom when he t»*u ha vine hU too. In tho rttninc-room on Friday, and b«. twten 8 And t o'clock that night witneaa •aw thnt the rirl had retired to bed. On rlslnv at c o'clock on Saturday morn. Ing witneiui diaoovered tho elrl had pone: alno tho accused. Th« basket 1 produced) had ai«o dl«app«rarod and iho olothtnt m It (produced), belonged to the girl. Witness got m touch with lb» police and about 10 o'clock went U the Auckland »uiJo» where nho «atv her daughter with accused T)i«iy were then taken charge of by a countable. WUne« first *aw (ho engagement ring that (Monday) morning. Lawyer Moody: Your daughter m a truthful fftrl?— Generally ttp«aking. How long have you kept a boardingbou«e?—Two yearn.

What U the average number of board*!* you havo?— About fly*.

How long Is it since your daughter went to school? — Three years. Have you a servant? — No. Your daughter left home once before? —Only tor one night and then with a girl. And you . HAD TO GET THE POLTCE to get her back? — She went with a girl named Myrtel something mid t saw Mrs. Beddeck and the girl had to glvo my daughter up. She had her m hiding. Why did your daughter go then?— • Because the other girl said she would make more^ money away from home. When wag "that?— Eighteen months ago. Bo far as you know' the accused's conduct was good while he was with you?— He 1 was sly, Is your doughtor sly?— She has acted so. Was she sly when sho left home about 18 months ugo? — She was led away by another girl. . • Now this man told you something? —He told he that this man had been up on the hill with my daughter. Huve you ever struck your daughter? — Not for years. Has your husband ever caught the girl by the throat? — No. r . Where do you come from?— A place called Hackney, m ISnglund. Jlus the girl ever expressed a desire to have a young man? — No, and if she had I would not have allowed It because Hhe is, too young. Sub-inspector Mcllveney: If the accused suggests that he*, should marry your daughter will you withhold your consent? — Certainly : never while I havo breath will I consent to her marrying "that" In the dock. I would RATHER SBIS HEU DKAD FIRST. Jamos Frodk. Bcnfell, father of the girl, corroborated his wife's evidence In the main and said that ho hud given no consent to accused taking: tho girl away. Witness had, never Jlltreated the girl and had always done his best to control her.

Constable Hlsllp said that ho arrosted Oaldwell at tlio station on July 23. Caldwoll was then In tho company of the firlrl. When cnarpoU at the police station accused said he had taken the girl away from hor homo and Intended to marry her. When searched accused had two tickets for Te Kulti. also a soldier's pay-book In tho name of Thangland, which he mid he had picked up. The girl had a socond-hand wedding ring. Tho accused said the mother hud ill- treated tho girl. Lawyer Moody: He was perfectly frank when Questioned?— Yos. Were they m the carriage?— No. They were on the platform. The mother called out to the police. The girl was quite normal and cool? -~Sho did not seem excited. Did accused tell you In tho glrl'i presence that the mother had nitrated tho girl?— Yes. Tho mother den tod it. but the gjrl said nothing. In answer to another question from tho sub-Inspector the witness e.nJd that when Mrs. Benfoll called out "police" oh tho railway station she had a<?i cused bailed up In a corner. At the police dtat lon tho girl made and signed tho statement produced. This closed the case for Die prosecution, y. Lawyer Moody commented freely upon the attltudo of the police In not calling the girl and said he would tako 'a ohanco and call her himself. The girl, BoatTlco Mfny Benfel). said It was only l«tely that she had received wages from fror mother. All the timo accused hud been staying at th« housio he had treated her well and she thought they had FALLEN IN LOVE WITH EACH • OTHER, For some time, nnd before accused camo to tho house, sho had not" got along troll with hor parents and they wore, always growling at her. Sometimes sho wan (uiuhctl and shoved and once her father was going to ohok« ht»r. Mr. Moody: How did you eomo 'to leave homo last Friday?— Woll Oaldwoll eftld he was going and 1 said "If you go, I'm going, too." Well, go on?— Wo loft home that night intending to go to Hamilton In the il.io p.m. train. Wo didn't co. nnd till 1 a.m, were looking fur a place to stay. Did you have your haJr up?— Yos. You left home once before ?~Yea. Why? — Decause I was being 111- - Why did you go' back?— Hecause I thought my girl friend would /ret Into trouble, ami I went back to save her. In reply to further queatlortti the girl said Chat oho and the accused agreed to mnrry. Sho believed )u» would marry her. Hub-Inspector Mdlvcncy: Millar and the aceuaod came to your housetogether? — Yes. Didn't bo represent himself n» a roturned soldier?— -Ho «aid he wan, You have an admiration for brass buttoitK?— l didn't llko him because of tho brass buttons. When did you «r«t begin to n«lmir« him?-- When lift /lm camp to the liumie. The nuU-innpector continued to BKVEUKLY CROSS-KXAMINMS TUB WITNESS. but she could not be shaken In her fftlth In accused and said that v wa« n« much her fault as aecusod'n that nh; hud lofr home. Bho nald the enune wa» her parents' 111-treutincni of h,.|In answer to tho S.M.. wltn««aw «.U4 that In addition to Millar advising h»«r to go away another man, known nt Chick," httd also given her Blmlltir :i«l. vice. It was Mlllur who hud purchased the ticket* and fixed things up. Hl* Worship nald Mini «o f«r ns Oio commiHKion of tho offence under ih« «cetlon was concerned i»bnnhii<-!y no dofonco w»8 put forward, Millar n.'-cmwl to Iwivo hud n considerable .tmouu: to do with tho matter, Tho sub- Inspector; Unfortunately I hay© been unuble to trnco him or h« should have been mandlng bcsld« tba accused to-dny. His Worship said ho would hay« to convict, L«iwyer Moody put In v '''plnu«lbl« M In »ujnctsHllnir prohtitlon. Hub.lnspector Mcllveney kiU) Omt tho offence won b«comlng all too coin, mon and this wan THE THIRD OF ITS KINO In Auckland within a period of four months. Ho pointed out that i» ndiiitlon to Imprisonment His Wor*hlj» »i t.t power to impoao reformative Oot«-n. Hon. His Worship nald he did not iiiiJjk it wa# a case for probation »r v ijfiit sentence. There, did not appear :o '>*> ono oxtcnutttlnu clrcunjt>t«ric<> .-it-.<i ..•-- cus«d would bo »<*nt«need i>» r.\x moQlba' hard labor, to be followed by it numUM* reformative dotoutlon.