INDECENCY BY MAIL

NZ Truth, Issue 985, 11 October 1924, Page 6

INDECENCY BY MAIL

Stage-Struck Flapper's Correspondence

Charge . Against. Actor Dismissed,

"I am not satisfied that the charge has been established. The case depended upon the evidence of the girl and the writing identification. The girl was. not impressive to that extent, and v/hile certain letters were characteristic m the writing, there was also some dissimilarities that persisted through both documents." This was the comment of Magistrate! Page, m the Wellington , Magistrate's Court, last week, when dismissing the> charge against Leo Kelvin, an actor* of sending an indecent letter through the post to a young girl. • In evidence, Doreen McKenzie, 18 •years of age, said she was at present an inmate of the Salvation Army:Home. Early m January last she interviewed defendant at the Albermarla Hotel, m response to an advertisement for a ballet dancer, and m the smoking room gave an exhibition of dancing and elocution. . Chief Detective Kemp: Did' you satisfy him?— l think I did, arid he asked me if I would travel with him, as a two -person company, but -I did not agree. y Continuing, witness said that on. Thursday, January 24, she received a letter, through the post, and the following night defendant came to her room, at 141, , Willis Street, and stated that "he was afraid the police were going to make trouble about that letter," and requested its' return to him. On January 26 Kelvin had asked witness to see a sergeant of -police and swear that he did not write the letter. Herbert Phillip Mourant, handwriting expert, stated that the writing m the letter and on the envelope, and the sample written by the accused at the ■instance of Detective McLennan, were identical. There were a considerable number of similarities and several dissimilarities. The defence was an absolute denial ' of the charge. There was no motive m writing such an epistle, and it was contended that the letter was a forgery. Defendant had been on the stage for about fifteen years, and admitted that m January he intended to establish a ccstume comedy company consisting of nine members. Miss McKenzie was one of the applicants, but defendant denied that any rehearsals had been held at night. The only letters he had written to the girl concerned appointments for rehearsals.. The girl had given her age as twenty. The information was dismissed as above. . ' _- •