SERIOUS CHARGES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 30

SERIOUS CHARGES.

j CFaoM Oun Own Coeeespondent.l INVERCARGILL, January 24. f 'At the ,Police Court this morning, tefore M«-a*s W. N. Stirling and R. Galraith, J.P*s, two Riverton young mei fibamed Henry Gray and Harold Schofiek. to answer a number of charges. aßray was charged with having, on the gist January, between Centre Bush and wanton, wilfully committied a grossly inidecent act in a public place—to wit, a f&ilway carriage. Schofkld was charged flrith having, between Lumsden and In/frercargill, behaved in an offensive manner vJto the annoyance of passengers in a rail.jtoay carriage, and with having, on the I'&tme day, u&ed indecent 'language in a Urailway carriage. Sergeant Brookes pro.fcecuted, while Mr R. H. Rattray defended. | Sergeant Brookes said that these cases 'li&d originated in consequence of the • irbarges of which they had "seen so much 8n the public press recently of young men Ipehaving to toe annoyance of passengers Sn railway carriages. The two defendants joined the train at Lumsden, and Itook with them a quantity of beer. On jlhe way down to Invercargill they became very offensive, one of them actually oomjnitting an indecent offence upon the carriage platform in view of the occupants &f the first class carriage adjoining. In Has carriage there were several ladies. Unfortunately the railway 'witnesses had toot put in an appearance. Mx l-'"'*—» 'indignantly) : Here are two

respectable young men who were arrested on the railway platform on Friday without having the faintest idea of what they were charged with, not given an opportunity of finding it out or getting witnesses before the pasengers had departed, ind straight way locked up. That was a most unfair state of affairs. The case was adjourned from Saturday on account of there being no> J.P.'e available, and then to-day the police were unable to find their witnesses. The Sergeant said he could not account for the absence of the witnesses. Mr Rattray said that he had numerous letters and testimonials as to defendants' respectability and theii high character. He asked that the case be dismissed. Sergeant Brookes telephoned to his superior, and stated that the inspector was in communication with the Railway Department. Mr Rattray : I ask for a dismissal. Sergeant Brookes : Will the court consider the advisability of adjourning the case. The young men were distinctly told on Saturday? ]\Sfr Rattea-y again demanded a dismissal, adding that no doubt, an official had lost his head in consequence of the paragraphs that had been appearing in the paper-;. The Sergeant said that the police were in a position to summon the Dipton slntionmaster to give evidence as to defendants' conduct. '')• Rattray: There is no evidence at all., an*i I ask ior a dismissal. Let the

police take further action if they wish it. The Bench decided to dismiss the case without prejudice on the grounds of insufficient evidence. The police intimated that a fresh information would be laid. Mr Rattray again commented upon the extraordinary action of the police in bundling the defendants —both respectable and sober young men—off to the station without a charge or anything else