TWENTY-ONE YEARS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 866, 18 November 1916, Page 10

TWENTY-ONE YEARS.

DE LATOUR'S SENTENCE. DEGENERATE OF WORST TYPE. Edward Atherton dc Houghton Dc Latour, who had pleaded guilty in the Magistrate's Court to three charges of indecent assault on a male, appeared before his Honour Mr Justice Sim in the Supreme Court this morning for sentence. When the customary question was put to him the prisoner replied that he had nothing to say. Mr Raymond said the prisoner was a man of 13 years of age, and had resided in New Zealand for 34 years. He said he was a widower, that he studied as a medical student for some years, and that of late years he had been practising what he termed psychometry, which, translated, meant fortunte telling. Letters found in his possession showed that he had been for some years past carrying on practices similar to those now charged. In a bundle of documents found in his possession were some letters dating back last year, and a money order receipt sent to a bov as far back as March, 1913. About 12 months ago prisoner came from Dunedin to Christchurch. Full inquiry had been made in Dunedin. Before he came to Christchurch he was suspected, and since his arrest the police had had no doubt that a number of boys had been subjected to similar practices to the boys whose evidence had been taken in the Magistrate's Court in Christchurch. The police characterised the prisoner as a degenerate of the worst type. His Honour: The only thing to do with a prisoner of fiis kind is to impose such a term of imprisonment as will make it impossible for him for a very long time to repeat the offence of which he has pleaded guilty. The sentence of the court is that he be imprisoned for seven years for each offence, the sentences to be cumulative.