Supreme Court.

Thames Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 8608, 12 March 1897, Page 2

Supreme Court.

WELL DESERVED I'UNISHMENT

Auckland, March 11. At the Supreme Court to-day Harry Poulson, alias Charles Wilson, was indicted that he did on February 20th, at Katikati, indecently assault one Martha Busby. —Tho prisoner pleaded not guilty and was represented by Mr Cooper.—Mr Tole conducted the prosecution.—Evidence for the prosecution was given by Martha Busby (a servant girl at Shepherd's Talisman Hotel at Katikati near Tauranga), Mrs Mary Shepherd (wife of the licensee), Chas. Thos. Dunn (district

•constable at Katikati) and Constable Moore of Waitekauri. This showed that the accused arrived at the hotel about a quarter to three on the morning of February 20th, along with, three others, having evidently been to the Tauranga races. They were given shakedowns in the parlour, and the prisoner was the first to go to bed. Some time afterwards the accused was seen by Mrs Shepherd going into various rooms eventually finding his way into the servant's room, and according to the servant's statement he committed an in decent assault. Mrs Shepherd heard a noise, as of some people fighting, and distinctly heard what she thought were blows, also her name called out twice. She then took a light; and went in the direction of the noise.

When she reached the servant's room the accused was coining out, and being very much put out she said " You villain, what are you doing here" Some words followed in the course of which the accused said he had known the girl in Auckland, Waihi, and other places. Mrs Shepherd then found the servant sitting on the bed in a fainting condition, and bearing signs of having had a severe struggle. The bed clothes were on the floor. Mrs Shepherd asked the girl what was the noise as of blows she had hoard and the girl said that was caused by her head bumping against the wall.—The servant, in her evidence, said the accused, on opening the door, asked if it was the coachdriver's room. She tried to sing out for Mrs Shepherd four times, and she succeeded twice, but the

prisoner put his hand over her mouth the other times.—Constable Moore, who arrested • the prisoner, said the latter on being arrested declared he did not remember what had occurred. He was very drunk at the time. —The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and His Honor in passing sentence said that as long as he sat on the Bench he would deal most severely with anyone convicted of this offence, and he had decided to give him four years' imprisonment with hard labour. | THEFT AND FALSIFYING j BOOKS. Arthur O. Field was indicted that j he did at Tairua as clerk in the emI ploy of the Kauri Timber Company ! steal various sums of money, the proj perty of the Kauri Timber Company, I and that he also made a false entry in ' a book belonging to the Company, the

total amount stolen amounting to £554 19s. Prisoner pleaded guilty to all counts, but at the suggestion of Mr Cooper, who appeared for the prisoner, His Honor decided to hold over sentence until Saturday.