SERIOUS CHARGE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 198, 31 July 1931, Page 2

SERIOUS CHARGE

SALESMAN BEFORE COURT CASE ADJOURNED The case against Charles Gardiner, late of Hawera, of allegedly attempting to unlawfully supply a noxious thing to women at Tangarakau and Te Wera, was adjourned after the further hearing of evidence after The Post went to press yesterday afternoon till Saturday, August 8. Bail was allowed. Margaret Green, continuing her evidence yesterday, said that on the first visit of the man to her place she told him she would not buy any pills. He came to the door like any traveller and explained what the pills were meant for. To Mr. O’Dea: The man had motorgoggles on, and was like the man in court. She thought she was pretty sure of it. Mr. O’Dea: All the ladies in Tangarakau get these female pills, don't they.—l don’t know anything about them. Mr. O’Dea: You yourself have bought the pills, haven’t you, or you got someone to buy them for you?— No. Had you not heard about the female pills?-—lt was the first time I had ever heard of them. Do you really ask us to believe that? Honestly?—Yes. And every paper has an advertisement in about female pills'—No. I suppose I may have seen them when I was glancing over the papers. Are you sure he was wearing goggles?—l didn’t mean goggles, but a cap hanging over his eyes. Why did you say he had goggles? —Because I thought it was meant ibr goggles. You don’t know what female pills are and what goggles are. Why did you mention goggles?—l may have said it without thinking. Did you yourself not refer to the pills?—No. I swear it. You listened to him about the pills? —Yes. And when he was finished you knew all about pills?—Yes. And at your age of 21 you have never heard of female pills?—No. And how long have you been married? —Four years. And you have never heard of female pills?—No. And you have no friend who uses female pills and no one mentioned them to you?—No. The ladies mentioned.it out there, eh?—Yes. Mrs. B said the man had not called on her. In answer to further questions, witness said the pills were not like Aspros. They were not Doan’s backache pills, or headache pills, or stomach-ache pills. She did not buy any. What the Suitcase Contained William Henry Charles Kerr, miner, employed at the Egmont Collieries, Tangarakau, gave evidence oi the man calling at his place about five o’clock one night, and telling witness he was travelling as a chemist’s representative. He had a tin case made up as a sort of a suitcase, and it contained pills and medicine, toothpaste and shaving gear. The pills were supposed to be a blind, but the chemist’s gear was the blind. The boxes of pills produced were like the ones he was selling. The female pills were in a different “department” from the others, and he said they were there if people wanted to buy them. They were like the round dox produced. His wife was present during the conversation. The pills in the unlabelled boxes were brown ones, and he said they were for bringing on a certain condition. He did not say what the price was. The pills, he said, would be good for the purpose up to a particular time. He said he would get into trouble if the pills were found in his possession. They were not allowed. to be sent by post, and the firm would not send them to witness, as it would be too big a risk. The man did not suggest that witness should buy the pills. Witness and the' man were talking in the kitchen for a quarter of an hour up to half an hour after his wife went to her bedroom. He spoke of a case of illegal operation, the charge of which was about £2O or £3O.

Witness was shown pills, but there was no mention of selling them. Witness could not say what the purpose of the visit was, unless it was to sell pills. Some mention might have been made of buying pills by Mrs. Kerr, but not by witness. Witness admitted making a statement at Tangarakau in February. Mr. O’Dea; You can’t be sure that these (produced) Were the boxes, but they were just like them? —They were much the same. What you mean to say is that if an operation was performed, the fee would be from £2O to £3o?—He told me that he got from £2O to £3O for it. Why did your wife go to the bedroom?—Because she did not like the vulgar talk in the kitchen. Why didn’t she remain in the kitchen with you?—She did not like the language and went away as any decent woman would do. She was not there any time at all then? —Yes. she was., but the language became strong when illegal operations were talked about. What were the pills like?—They were brown pills, egg-shaped, and as big as the nail on one’s little finger. There were six or seven pills in the box. Witness identified accused as the man who visited witness’s house. Display on Kitchen Table Elsie Kerr, wife of W. H. C. Kerr, the previous witness, said the man showed her a clipping from a paper, stating that he represented a linn in Christchurch. lie opened up the bag and put quite a lot of things on the table. Boxes labelled female pill and tins labelled pennyroyal pills, and quite a 10l of others of which she did not take much notice. One little white box with black edging was similar to the box produced, and it contained 12 pills, oval-shaped, with cotton-wool on top of them. The man said he didn’t care if he did not sell any but the black-and-white boxes of pills. He said he only had the other pills as a blind, and that the unlabelled pills were his line of business. The pills were black or brown, she could not remember exactly. In selling certain pills, he said, he had done very good business especially among single men. He did not say how many lie had sold, and he did not suggest that witness should buy them. She had no doubt, that accused was the man in court.

To Mr. O’Dea: She could not tell what the pills were like, but she knew they were oval-shaped. Certainly she heard a lot about the pills. She could listen ii! she liked. Mr. O’Dea: It would not be the first time you have heard of female pills and perhaps taken them yourself?— I have never had the pills in my life. You know that females use them? — Perhaps they do. No one got any for me. It was a bag—not a box, eh? —It was an attache case. Perhaps my husband thought it was an iron box. It shows one of you is not telling the truth? —It is ridiculous to say it was an iron box. Police Arrest Detective Meiklejohn gave evidence of going to the home of accused at Hawera, and afterwards met him and told him that inquiries were being made into the sjale of pills in the Tangarakau and Te Wera districts. He said he was selling remedies and also chemist’s goods. He showed the police his supplies of medicine in a room in his house. The man signed a statement regarding his business and particulars of visits to Te Wera and Tangarakau, and this was read in court. A sample of the black pill was given to witness by accused. When arrested at Feilding on July 20 accused had five samples of pills, as mentioned in court. Another statement was read from accused relating particularly to his trip to Tangarakau. Witness told accused it was very foolish tcfcsell pills to women who were in a certain condition, as be was running a grave risk. He replied that he would cut it out. Mr. O’Dea: Why the delay?—Because accused left Hawera and I could not trace him. Surely there must be some other reason? —First of all he represented he was from Christchurch. That took time to verify, and later I had to go out to Tangarakau, and then he had disappeared. You did not mention to him that he had “just kept within the law?”— No, the law was not mentioned. You did not say to him, “You will not. hear any more about it?”—No. 1 agree they are patent medicines, replied the detective in reply to Mr. O’Dea. Case Adjourned The detective asked for a continuation of the case on Saturday week, when every endeavour would be made to have Mrs. Simpson present. Mr. O’Dea said he had no objection to the adjournment, and asked that bail be allowed. Detective Meiklejohn agreed, and bail was fixed at ,£2OO in accused’s recognisance and one surety of £2OO, which was forthcoming.