THE MARK OF THE BEAST

NZ Truth, Issue 882, 21 October 1922, Page 6

THE MARK OF THE BEAST

A Horrible Story

Macartney's, Murky Mind.

Unshaven and looking somewhat unkempt after his incarceration of two or three weeks— -bail not having been forthcoming— the usually dapper assistant film director of the Annette Kellerman Picture Company, Donald Raymond Macartney, appeared m the Police Court on Wednesday m Wel^ lington to answer a charge of having indecently assaulted a male.

The male was a youth of sixteen years, who was at the time of the incident, and is now, under the surveillance of the Probation Officer after having, been convicted of forgery. His story was to the effect that on the morning of October 5 he was walking up Willis Street m company with Detective Hunt f when accused, whom he had known previously, tapped him on the shoulder and

CALLED HIM ASIDE. Later, he met accused -again, and the two went to a belt' of trees near the Kilbirnie tunnel and remained there' a short time. In the afternoon he met accused again and they returned to the same locality. On being questioned by the detective m the morning as to who Macartney was and why he had spoken to witness, he had told of the appointment. Consequently, when they emerged from the trees m the afternoon Detectives Hunt and Harold were waiting about. He heard accused offer £20 to be let go, and

DONALD MACARTNEY (The accused). promise to send more from Nelson. Detective Hunt, m his evidence, said accused had said: "If you let me go now 1 will throw the game up." He had also stated that he would never live to face a trial and would sooner DO AWAY WITH HIMSELF, and offered alb the money m his possession and mere from Nelson, the headquarters or his company. When accused was searched at the police station an indecent postcard was found m hi,s possession, and later, when his room was searched, a number of similar pictures and two books containing PICTURES OF NUDE WOMEN were found. The pictures and books, forming a fairly bulky parcel, -were prod.need. Detective Harold said accused had told him he had been m America, "and m that depraved country had learnt the filthy habit." I Accused then made a statement m | which he denied or varied most of jth'e statements attributed to him, and then pleaded guilty to the offence charged. Accordingly, he was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was allowed ih the sum of £ 300 and sureties fo,r a like amount. Chief Detective Kemp prosecuted for the police and Lawyer Sievwright was on deck on accused's behalf.