PARK PROWLERS

NZ Truth, Issue 881, 14 October 1922, Page 5

PARK PROWLERS

• * A Molester of Women Alleged Offences m Ohiro Road. For that loathsome-t ype of humanity, the lone prowler, whose craven, being rises to such feats -of gallantry as highway robbery of unprotected women, or whose mentality, lowered by gloating over lewd pictures and weakened sexual abuses, leads him to molest unaccompanied girls who may unhappily fall' into his clutches, the vicinities of parks and unfrequented roadways are favorite haunts. So it is that, Ohiro Road, m Wellington, was the scene of at least two such happenings tlast month, when on one. occasion a young married woman was clutched and thrown heavily to the ground, and, after STRUGGLING AND SCREAMING, freed herself from the hands of.- her loathsome assailant, and escaped with portions of her attire torn; and m another instance a female child of 9 years was accosted by a man and asked to como with him into a neighboring patchy of trees. Following on those happenings, detectives kept their oyes open m the locality and an arrest was made of a young man, Richard Hayes Smith, a powerfully built wharf laborer, residing at 10, Broadway Terrace. When he appeared m the Lower Court on Wednesday before Justices of the Peace, the first charge preferred against him, that ot attempted rape, was withdrawn on tne' application of Chief Detective^ Kemp, who observed that it was apparent that m this instance the intentions were more mercenary, than sexual,->and that it was clear that robbery was the intention. Accordingly an alternative charge of having assaulted Mildreth Freda- Cor-' liss with intent of robbery was preferred against him. The complainant, a married woman, residing at 18 Nairn Street, said she was walking down Ohiro Road from Brooklyn shortly before 5 o'clock on the evening of September 28 When accused quickly overtook her. She turned on his near approach, and he instantly placed one hand over her mouth, seized her m his other arm and THREW HER TO THE GROUND. She struggled violently, against his embrace, and screamed loudly whenever she could wrest his hand from her lips. This continued for two or three minutes. Then accused jumped up and ran away: /. The Chief Detective: Did he do any damage?— Yes, he tore my stocking. The damaged hosiery was produced and handed m. Did he tear that with his hands? — I don't think so. Were' his actions violent? — They were : very violent. Did you suffer any injury? — Only a bad elbow. Did you have any money? — Only a few shillings m a bag. Witness said she later identified accused from a number of other men at the police station. ■ Detective Murray said he was in' Ohiro Road on Thursday last and there saw accused, whose appearance m every way coincided' with the description given of Mrs Corliss's assailant. He accosted the man, who swore that, he had not been m that vicinity for at least mpnths previously, and denied having been there the previous day or any other day when assaults were alleged. At the detectives' office he made - a written statement , to that effect, with the addition that \he was m Ohiro Road on the day of his arrest with the intention of ' ' . • APPLYING FOR A JOB at the Ohiro Home that had been advertised. • Detective Tongue said he had participated m the man's arrest, and had taken m writing a statement made by accused that he had . assaulted the .woman, but his intent was robbery and not rape. The statement signed by accused was produced. "It is no good asking any questions the way they make things up," said accused when asked if he wished co question the witness. This concluded the evidence m regaxci to the first case. Two oliier changes were then, preferred against arpuairi m respect of a tiny :'lrl, '■> years of use. The charges ' were of ■'assault on a female, and assault with intent to rob. In her evidence the child said .she was returning from school on the afternoon of September 29 when accused came up behind her, and, taking hold of her coat collar, directed her to come with him. Si-io screamed with fright, and his retortwas "Shut up." He tried then to drag her , INTO AN ADJACENT PARK, and she screamed again with renewed terror, so loudly, Indeed, that the man released his hold and decamped into the shelter of the trees. She ran home as last as she could and .unburdened herself ' of the story of the alarming incident to her mother. Later, she saw the man who accosted her

among a number of /other men at the police Station.; :- 'Jt d-£s the man m the dock. ■./; •." „ ■ ;<, The mother ' of the child said her daughter hac^ pointed the man out to heron the 4th of this month m Ohiro Road, and she followed him as far a^ Broadway,) ■ Terr^C/e, where she lost sight of him. ":•?/■; The police, m order to strengthen the evidence iri this case, called the three witnesses who had given evidence in' the previous instance, and their depositions were again taken.' Accused pleaded not guilty, and was remanded to the Supreme Court for trial. "I' think that bail should hot be granted," said the Chief Detective, "especially as the' Supreme Court sittings commence iri three weeks' time. Accused was' accordingly ordered to be detained iri custody pending his trial.