May God Help " Doolah": Who Else Can!

NZ Truth, Issue 1029, 15 August 1925, Page 6

May God Help " Doolah": Who Else Can!

FJKFMNKFN

Pathetic Prattle of Baby Witness The Old, Old Story: "Naughty Man!"

It is not given to all men and women to be equally strong, either morally or physically. And it i.<T a fact that to start out m life with a weak physical equipment — a thing that any baby may do through no fault of his or her own — may mean to develop m later life a moral condition which, while perfectly sweet, is yet more or less defenceless. The physical and the mental and the moral so act and interact and react that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between cause and effect; but it is well known that there are many sweet, pure 'girls who are blameless if left alone, but who are not adequately equipped by Nature with defences against masculine attack or masculine forcible persuasion.

Whether Norman Angus used on his young" girl victim forcible persuasion or persuasive force or no force at all, it is a fact Hihat the Supreme Court has found him to be outside the criminal law. So he is a free man, but surely he is to-day the most miserable man m the Dominion. He ought to be. So — without wishing him any harm, but rather the reverse — let us hope that he is. But as for "Doolah"— !! The whole thing is so inexpressibly sad that it tears at the heart strings.

"Doolah" was a nurse-girl. Her age was only twenty. She looked after the two-years-old baby, and the baby, m return, gave her a name. The name which th baby, m infant fashion, conferred on "Doolah," is the name by which, she will be known throughout this brief story. Her real name does not concern any reader. Everyone m court must have tried to suppress it. Let "Doolali walk through, these columns un-named, and let the story so far as its concerns her — but not the lesson it preaches to all and sundry — be instantly forgotten.

"Doolah" was only a nurse-girl. That is to say, she followed a profession that is at once the lowliest and the highest. Evidently her charge loved her, as the sad sequel shows. Perhaps "Doolah"* dreamed that one day she would have a baby of her own. Perhaps, being "inclined to be soft" (Mr. Justice Reed's words) she saw, even m the commonest male clay, a possible lover and a potential husband. She must have, for how else would Angus have entered the picture? Enter: Romeo. He came, this rampant Romeo, hot foot to win the easy conquest. It was her duty to take the baby out every fine day for a walk, and they usually walked to the reserve at Pt. Resolution, Auckland. Her statement is that, when returning one daj', she ; was accosted by a man who afterwards turned out to be Norman Angus (a young person of compai^atively high birth but low instincts). Romeo Angus "started to make love to her." And, before Angus had finished, one more unfortunate girl had been plunged into the greatest grief of her life. Perhaps even, .worse still, a young immature conscience had been shocked to its core. "Doolah's" story, is that the oddfy assorted' trio was going along a road, and, when passing a vacant motor garage, Angus forced her into it — baby, pram, and all. Further, that he then seduced her. After the act she was greatly upset. The conquering Romeo — man! proud man! — did not leave her at once. They walked up the road some distance. But ere she returned to the home of her mistress m select St. Stephen's Avenue, she sat down and cried bitterly. Her world had m a moment been transformed. The butterflies had turned black. '.'Poor Doolah!" And the baby! The little mito of two had seen. Mercifully, it comprehended not, but it knew, or felt by instinct, that its little" nurse had. been injured. Greatly upset, the baby was still agitated when the forlorn pram party reached the home of baby's mother. The little one went about her home half crying. "Naughty man: Poor Doolah!" was her whimper. The charwoman heard and asked some questions. Later the mistress heard, and asked some more. She pressed her inquiries further than

'did the charwoman, with the result that the nurse-girl was sent at once to the home of her parents. So, exit poor "Doolah" from St. Stephen's Avenue. For the rest, let the narrative bej carried on by "Truth's" Auckland rep.: Norman Angus, formerly of the treasury department of Auckland City Council, stood his trial on a charge of

rape on a girl aged 20,. with alternative charges of indecent assault or assault. He was defended bs' Lawyers Finlay and Terry. The accused, who is not one of the "common fry" (as can be imagined from the strength of his legal ! representation), was allowed the I privilege of a seat while he occupied the prisoner's dock at the Supreme Court before Mr. Justice Reed. Mr. S. Li. Paterson prosecuted. The accused pleaded not guilty. For a variety of reasons the trial was a very remarkable one. Probably but for the concern of the two-year-old baby after the distress of her nurse-girl, after baby had been a witness to 'one of the most abominable acts that could be perpetrated on a single woman by a so-called man, the matter might never have seen the light of day. Tlie girl is the daughter of very respectable '.people. She is aged twenty, but is very young for her age m her

knowledge of the world; and she was employed as a nurse-girl with a family out m St. Stephen's Avenue. After the events ,set out above, her mistress Bent her to her home. *When she got I there and narrated the occurrence to her mother, a doctor Avas at once se.nt for, and an examination showed that the girl had been seriously interfered with. Arrest of Angus. The police were •at once informed, and the next day Angus was arrested and charged with rape. When he was taken to the Detective Office by Detective Knight, he made a statement, and denied having had intercourse with the girl. Angus admitted having met her and having "smooged" with her m the garage, but nothing further. He said there was only the girl's word for it that she had been m

terfered with, but Chief Detective Cummings, who was also at the m- .j terview, said there was the state- | • ment of a brace of medical men. | The Chief Detective also told Angus that, if he chose, he could have the girl medically examined by any doctor he wished, provided he was prepared ] to pay the cost. Accused said, m re- j ply to a question by the Chief Detective, that ho had not the girl's consent and did not do anything further than hug and kiss her. When the case for the Crown was concluded, the Judge said they had got to a very peculiar position. The detective had said that, if nccusod had not denied intercourse, that might have been an end to the matter. The question was whether there was sufficient evidence to go to the jury. Mr. Finlay said that the defence was consent. Crown Case Fails. . . ■ His Honor said the case was not one that could be withdrawn from the jury. He asked the foreman iT he thought-

the jury might arrive at a decision which would obviate the necessity of going further m the case. The foreman indicated his own feelings, and the jury retired for about ten minutes. On returning, the foreman said that they had practically come to a decision, but two members wished to ask a question m regard to the alternative charge of indecent assault. They were satisfied that there had not been force. The girl had probably not used the- resistance one might have expected m view of the place where the offence took place. The Judge said that was why he asked the jury the question. The story as told by the girl was hardly credible. "This is not a . Court of morals, and if that young blackguard seduced the girl, this is not a crime." Mr. Paterson said that probably the girl did not comprehend what the accused was going to do. The Judge: You cannot suggest that she is not of sound mind. Mr. Paterson: Her inability to resist might arise from a mental condition which might amount to imbecility. - Jury's Condemnation. The foreman of the jury said that he felt they could now come to a unanimous decision, and, after a further two minutes' absence, the twelve returned, and the foreman stated that they found the accused not guilty of rape. After giving the verdict the foreman said: "We could not find him guilty of rape, but would like to tell the accused that we feel he lied m his statement to the detective. Had he then been a man instead of what we plainly call a social blackguard, he would probably not have been (as his Honor has indicated) m the dock to-day. There is no question, we think, o£ intercourse. We believe there was intercourse, . but under pressure of personal persuasion on a. girl who was perhaps a little soft m some senses. We think that she probably tried to hide the shamefulness of the thing, which did not mitigate the conduct of the accused." The Judge: "I quite agree with you, Mr. Foreman. I take your formal verdict of not guilty of rape. Prisoner, you will be discharged, found no! guilty. You have heard what the foreman has said. I agree with that. You acted the part of a blackguard and simply took advantage of this girl who might be inclined to be soft. You seduced her and injured her. This we cannot punish you for. It is not a crime. But you may fully* accept this: that it will be remembered against you if it is found that you continue to carry on this class of work of attempting to seduce girls. I hope your having managed to get out of this trouble wilt be a warning to you and that you will not be found m this Court again." ! And so ends, so far as the law (or this phase of it) is concerned, one of the saddest events m the police records of Now Zealand. "Doolah" has paid bitterly.. Is it too much to hope that the reading of her sad story may deter jsome other man from the path of coni scienceless conquest — a "conquest" the echo of which may never pass out of his life or the life of his victim? It is .so easy to do; so hard to undo.