AUCKLAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3366, 22 January 1879, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

[SPECIAL TO THE STAB.] £ Jan. 22. e I The grocers' Saturday half-holiday has t (burst up. ' The soiree in aid of the Wesleyan Home c Misaion, laafc night, waa largely attended, c

Addresses were given by the Rev S. Lee, of laranaki and Wanganui; MeNicoll, of Otago ; Beid, of Wellington ; and Crump, of Canterbury. The collection at the afternoon conference and meeting resulted in £180. The standing debt is £660, and the deficiency on the year £252. Thomas Williamson Brown has been committed for trial on the charge of attempted rape on Mrs Ewinson, the landlady of the Scotia Hotel. It came out in evidence that the next day after the assault upon Mrs Ewinson, her husband saw the prisoner at the Governor Browne Hotel, and he said that the prisoner must put a public apology in the newspapers, and pay £30 to Charities. Later in the day he again saw prisoner on the subject. He said to Ewinson, " You annoy me. lam sick of it." Ewinson replied, " I will not annoy you any more, but will take legal proceedings." Ewinson was cross-examined at some length as to whether lie had played cards with the prisoner, or "shaken" dice with the prisoner either on the day in question or previously. He declined to answer the question. Maria Johnson, the barmaid at the Scotia, deposed that that night in question she went to bed at eleven o'clock, fell asleep, and again woke. There was a man in her bed. She asked who it was, and the prisoner said " Brown." She told him to go out as soon as possible. She could see the man. It was "Brown." She threw a candlestick at him as he was leaving the room. About five minutes afterwards she heard Mrs Ewinson's screaming, and ran to her assistance. She saw prisoner go from the direction of Mrs Ewinson's room to the room lie occupied. He went inside and covered himself up with blankets. When he came out of Mrs Ewinson's room and went into his own "room he was not dressed. Crossexamined by Mr Tole : Nothing too familiar took place between her and prisoner. Brown never kissed her ; she had pulled out his scarf pin, but was then sitting by his side. She knew Miss Goodman, who was big enough to take care of herself. Knew a girl named Annie Hopkins. Mr Tole : " Is she a person of good repute?" Witness: "She may good, although she had a fault." Mr Tole : Have you that fault ?" Witness : " No ; what I have been, it is what I am." Mr Tole : " Did you ever introduce Miss Goodman to any one to sleep with ?" Witness : " Miss Goodman can do that if she likes herself. I never did. I allow that I once led an improper life, but lam reformed. Mr Ewinson knew that I lived with Annie Hopkins in Grey street." Annie Goodman said : " She was a domestic servant at the Scotia Hotel. On the 16th inst., she went to bed at 9 o'clock. Prisoner made a request of her, she replied ' Not if I know it.' He said he would like to sleep with her. She locked her door, and kept it locked when she went to bed. Prisoner said he was going to take the house off Ewenson if she would stay with him as barmaid.