CHARMING VERA PURDY POOLED

NZ Truth, Issue 1278, 29 May 1930, Page 4

CHARMING VERA PURDY POOLED

CHAMPION BOXER'S WIFE FINED FOR DANGEROUS DRIVING

ON HER WAY TO A BIT OF A PARTY

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Sydney Representative). Since Pretty Vera Purdy, wife of ex-champion, boxer Charlie Purdy, obtained, her motor licence three or four months ago, her driving has not been to the liking' of police officials. Twice m tha.t period her charming- figure has graced the drab interiors of police courts .on counts of dangerous driving.

FOR hours one day last March she sat serene among the hotch-potch of characters that congregate m. that frying-pan of human morals — Central Police Court, waiting, her turn to bring a charge of malicious damage against Richard Martin, but the charge was dismissed. At Redfern Police Court last week suggestions were made, that Vera placed a dainty foot oh the accelerator and sped rapidly after an accident, and that beer bottles had fallen out of the car' and smashed on .the roadway. • But Vera stoutly' denied these allegations, though she admitted that "hubby" was not numbered among the passengers m her car. She was taking the girl friend and her husband along to the party. Magistrate Fletcher fined her £5, and suspended her license until its expiry m February, 1931, on thc dangerous driving charge, but he . dismissed a charge of having failed to stop after an Mr. Wil kinson helped Vgra with her legal battle against Prosecut-ing-sergeant Toole. Tram-driver Borrodale said he had driven his tram nearly across Abercrombie Street when Vera's car crashed into the centre of the tram, breaking the footboard of the- tram and bending the bumper bars of the car. With the conductor and two other men, he helped to push the car back, .and . Vera drove off. "I asked h%r if she were hurt, but I got no answer. She had her hands over her face. I saw some bottles of beer broken on the roafl," declared Borrodale. Sergeant Toole: Where . did they come from? — Fron^ the car. Mr. Wilkinson: After the accident, how long^ did it take to push the car off? — Aboutj five minutes. Conductor Milne corroborated his colleague's evidence and added that he saw a man m the cai*' with Vera. Sergeant Toole: What became of him? — He got out and mingled with the crowd, and then I lost sight of him. After that, the lady stepped on it. Mr. Fletcher: Stepped on what? — She drove the 'car away. I also saw broken bottles of beer that came from the car. Vera then placed the tips of her dainty .digits on the Bible, and swore to tell the truth. She said she was married and lited with her husband at King's Cross Road, Darlinghurst. On the evening m question, she was driving her car down Cleveland Street, and when near Abercrombie Street, she noticed a stationary tram, which moved slowly, off as she got nearer. "I slowed up, and the driver was looking- at me," she said. "I thought he meant to go on, and I accelerated, but so did he. But I was too near the tram when I jammed on the brakes, and I hit the car. The tram moved on, and I stayed there for five minutes. Then I went over to the corner and got out of the car. I stood there for live minutes, but no one came up, so I took the car to. a garage m City Road." Sergeant Toole: How far w_re you from the tram when you first saw it? — I have no idea. Tyhat pace were you travelling at? — Twenty J five miles an hour when I first saw it, and then I slowed down to 10 miles. Who was m the car with you? — A girl friend and her husband. What became of them? — They stayed m the car. There was to be a party? — No, there was no beer party.

1 said, "There was to be a party"? — Oh, no, just a few friends. Did you sco any bottles on the road? —No. Did they fall from the • car. — No, there were none m the car. Vera's girl friend, Mona McCauley, married, of Darley Street, corroborated Vera's evidence. Sergeant Toole: Were there bottles of beer m the car? — No, I never saw any. You were going to a party, weren't you? — Yes, a bit of a party at Brighton-le-Sands. Ancl I suppose you are like everyone else, you were taking something to the party? — No, not when I am invited by someone else. "So far as the failing to stop charge goes, I'll dismiss it, ' but I'll convict on the dangerous driving charge," said Mr. Fletcher. "Is there anything known, sergeant?" he added. "Yes, your Worship; she was convicted for dangerous ' driving at Kogarah on April 15, and fined £2," said the sergeant. Mr. Fletcher then imposed a fine of £5 with £2/2/6 costs, and suspended Vera's license until February, 1931. With a swish of her long, trailing floral black dress, Vera floated from the court.