INDECENT ASSAULT.

Western Star, 15 August 1874, Page 3

INDECENT ASSAULT.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Invercargill, on Monday, James Adcock, a young man Avorking at the Bluff road saw-mills, was charged with committing an indecent assault on a young girl named Sophia Carrol, aged 12 years, on the previous day. The girl, in giving her evidence, stated that she had been at a friend’s house at Clifton Hill on Sunday afternoon, and left there to go home about six o’clock. She met the prisoner and the “new chum” (avlioso name she did not kuoAv). Had seen him often before, as he had been at her parent’s house. Ho asked her to go up to the mill with him. She said no: that sho had to make haste homo and get her tea, as father and mother might he going out. Prisoner gave a bundle Avhich he had with him to his companion, and told him to go on and he A\ T ould catch him up. The “ncAV chum” did so, and AA-as then going home, when he called me back, saying. “ I Avaut to speak to you, Jeannie.” She returned, Avhen he caught her an I carried her over to a flax hush. Witness here described what followed, and continuing, said she began to scream as loud as she could, when he left her and ran away a little. She then got up and ran away, ho calling on her to come back. Ho saw her brothers coming, and then Mr Clark, and meeting them, told them all about ft. The prisoner was somewhere about then, though Mr Clark could not see him. There is a lot of tall flax about there. . Accused then cross-examined tho Avitness in a style that would not have disgraced a lawyer. In answer to his question,.sho said ; You carried me in your arms two or three yards before you laid mo" down. No one has told mo what I was to say to-day. When I mot you I might have been ten minutes’Avalk from my father’s house. I Avas a good bit from the large hut where tho men live. If father was inside tho house he would not have hoard my screams. I did scream. You have been in tho house with me when father and mother were out. You have come home Avith mo from school all the way, and never before tried to do me any harm. The answers to a number of other questions vyoro to the same purpose ; the accused also endeavored to bring out that he had romped with her in her father’s house, and that nothing more than a frolic Avas intended on the present occasion. Colin Clark, residing near Kow saAvmills, deposed to leaving Clifton for homo on Saturday night, and, after hearing a female call out, mooting the previous Avitness. Sho shoAvod him her crushed bonnet, and told him Avhat the prisoner had done. Took her'home to her father. In cross-examination, said ho Avould bo about 200 yards off when ho heard tho first scream. It Avas as if some one wanted help. Was carrying some milk, so did not try to find accused. There is a swamp there, and if accused Avas by it ho could not fail to have'heard ail that passed, though they could not see him, W. BaldAvin, avlio described himself as a “footman out of employment,” said that accused was a follow-passenger by the James Nicol Fleming, from London, in February last, corroborated the giri statement as to meeting accused and himself, and then, afi-ho-request of accused, walking •■on, When accused rejoined him. be (accused) •said that Clark ha I a suspicion that something Was wrong. Afterwards lie said that he had caught hold of the girl’s hand and threw her down on the flax. Accused then Avent to town,

Constable Edo deposed to arresting accused that morning in the Gridiron Restaurant, and the latter saying, when told of the charge against him, that the girl caught hold of his arm, when ho pushed her down on the flax bush.. Accused, after receiving tlio usual caution, said that he was going to Eraser’s mill when hornet the complainant, and ho asked her to take a walk with him. She refused, and, thinking it was because of bis mate’s presence, sent him on, and, putting his hand on the girl's shoulder, asked her again. She pushed off his . hand, and, indping so, fell over the flax bush. All she said was that ho had dirtied her new dress, and she would tell her father. I saw them looking for me, including Carroll, so I “ hooked it ” to town, as I know that if he met me ho would have abused me, without hearing what I had to say. His. Worship said it was clearly a case for a ■jqrv, and there fore committed the accused on the charge of indecent assault.