A DISSOLUTE WOMAN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2923, 23 March 1910, Page 30

A DISSOLUTE WOMAN.

SERIES OF CHARGES. X middle-aged woman named Agnes Ingestre, who until recent years was unknown to the police authorities, but who has since figured prominently in their tecords, was brought before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., on Friday, and charged With drunkenness, with obtaining liquor during the currency of a prohibition order, £nd with assaulting Barbarr Pearce. The Sub-inspector of Police told a somewhat remarkable tale concerning this woman and her latest escapade. Barbara Pearce, he said, was an old lady of 70 years, who lived at Lumsden. Three weeks ago she heard that her niece, Agnes Ingestre (the accused), was ill in the Dunedin Hospital, and, thinking that the unfortunate woman might difficulties when she was discharged, the old ladv came

to Dunedin for the purpose of helping her. She went to liv« at 16 Athol place, and four days ago her niece joined her there. On Wednesday morning the old lady felt too unwell to leave her bed, and asked her niece to go out and buy her some biscuits, handing her at the time money to make the purchase with. Accused returned with a flask of whisky, drank it, became! uproarious, and attacked her aunt. She is alleged to have begun by dragging her out of bed, to have then struck her on the head twice with a flatiron, and finally to have thrust her out of the house, and lei* ber sitting on the footpath. A neighbour took Mrs Pcarce in, and the police were sent for. They found Ingestre lying on the floor in a drunken state, all the crockery broken, and the room turned upside down. She was put out into the street and there arrested. Her aunt was then taken back to Hov riwn bouse, but she was in such a

nervous terror that her niece would come bac- and harm her that the police gained her admittance to the hospital. The aunt's injuries were not likelj to prove serious, but it wou.ld be some days before she would be about again. Ingestrc pleaded " Guilty " to drunkenness, and to obtaining liquor. She said she remembered nothing of the attack on her aunt. The case was adjourned for a fortnight, pending the recovery of Mrs Pcarce.