KELBURN RAID

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 197, 9 May 1918, Page 6

KELBURN RAID

EVIDENCE FOR THE DEFENCE

OFFICERS IN THE WITNESS-BOX

Another stago was reached yesterday in the hearing of the cases arising out of tho recent police raid on No. .18 Upland Road, Kelburn, which it is alleged was a house of ill-fame. Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., was on the bench. The accused were Mary Griffin, charged with keeping a hoiw of ill-fame, contrary to the War Regulations; Marion Elliott and Winifred Oleen, charged with assistin™ in the keeping of the alleged house of ill-fame. Mrs. Griliin was represented by Mr. P. W. Jackson, Marion Elliott by Mr. M. Myers, nnd Winifred Olsen bv Mr. H. P. 6'Leary. J Tho court was cleared with the exception of eight women spectators, some of whom look notes of certain parts of the proceedings.

William Henry Nassau Carnahan, eecond lieutenant, D Company, Thirty(•eventli Reinforcements, who is on furlough after three years' overseas service, said that in civil life he was accountant for the Auckland Education Board. On April 27 last he was at No. '18 Upland Road. When witness arrived the police wore in tho house. He had been there on one previous occasion, lie had known Mrs."Griffin and Miss Olsen for the past six months. Ho was invited tip to the liQiiso by the Misses Elliott. Witness was positive that from what he had 6een the house and its inmates were the essence of respectability. On the way down in the car after the raid ho and Constable Tricklebank had a conversation, in the courao of which the constable —so witness swore—made a. certain statement relative to his own experiences at No, 48 Upland Road since January. This was made in contradicting witness's assertion that "tho conduct of the house was entirely proper. Witness was .in court because he was detailed to be present by tus superior officers. At this stage Inspector Marsack was granted permission to call rebutting evidence later on touching that part of the witness's ovideiico involving tuo conduct of the constable. Witness was then cross-examined by Inspector Jlnrsack as to what took place between ho and Constable Tricklebank in the Kelburn case. He' swore positively that the constable had made the statement imputed to him. Witness admitted having takeu small quantities of liquor to tho house. Magistrate to Inspect No, 48. Mr. Myers hero intimated that if at the conclusion of the evidence His Worship had any doubts, he was going to ask him to have a look at Ihe premises (iNo. 18) at night, iu company with tho various counsel and Inspector Marsack. His Worship; 1 think that is the currect thing. Mr.'Myers: I inspected the premises myself and 1 desire to point out certain things. : Hu Worship: "The evidence is so lengthy that i will havo to reserve my decision," Ho added that he would inspect the premises at i.JiO o'clock that evening. - Lewis Allison Morrison, 2nd lieutenant in the Thirty-eighth Reinforcements, who was in tho house on llto night of the raid, next gave evidence. Witness tostin'ed as to the good conduct of tho place and tho proper bearing of those presont therein. Inspector Marsack: Now '1 am going to put. *a very serious question to you, and 1 want you tu reflect well before you answer. If any improper conduct hud taken place between' yourself and these women, as an i fiicer ind a gentleman, would you not have certainly denied it? This brought Mr. .Myers at (nee to his feet with the exclamation: "Does tho inspector meiiii on oath? Make it plain tUiit the witness would commit perjury?" Inspector Ma'r°ack txpiaineil that ho meant if the witness was in oath.

Uitness replied in the negative. 'Tf I had (lono it," he remarked, "1 would havo admitted it."

"You must not regard everybody as a perjurer," remarked Mr. Myers, in addressing tho inspector. ''Apparently you do, you know, unless it is a polico officer."

The inspector rose to protest against counsel attacking the police, whereupon Mr. Myers rojoiued: "I am not making a slur on. the police officer, but you seem to think, sir, that.the only immaculate and infallible man is a policeman." Further cross-examined by Inspector Marsack witness said that-after the raid he rode down in the lvelbiXn car with the previous witness and Constable Tricklebank, on whose right he sat. Ho did not overhear any conversation between the constable and Lieutenant Carnahan. He was slightly under the influence of liquor at the time. Lieutenant Carnahan was sober.

Mr. Myers: Tho inspector suggests that you are here to commit perjury. Are you prepared with regard to your own action or anybody else's action to go into Court and commit perjury?— "No, I am not."

Edward Hulueit, second lieutenant in the Thirty-seventh Reinforcements, ir civil life a money-order clerk in tho Christehurch Post Office, said he was at No. IS Upland Road when the premises wore raided. He had boen ihere previously. Iln had known Mrs. Griffin for two years. Whenever he was there the gatherings took the form nf musical evenings. He never saw anything improper. Inspector Marsack: Have you ever seen liquor in the house?—"No, never."

An Officer's Voluntary Statement. On boiiiK told that lie could leave the box witness turned lo the Magistrate und asked: Am 1 allowed to make my own statement, or am I finished with? The Magistrate: What >io you want to «ay?—" Just briefly I would like to say that I have the highest character in my own particular town of Christchurch, and I think that I could bring evidence to provo rny character. My record with 'he Post and Telegraph Department of 32 years is, I understand, excellent. My idea in bringing this forward is that if I have that character I would certainly not go to a house that I considered to be ono of ill-famo. Prom my knowledge of Mrt>. Griffin and Miss Olson I would, not have hesitated to have taken my own mother or sisters there with me. That is all, thank you.."

Charles William .Milner, second lioutenwit in the Thirty-eighth Reinforcements, on furlough after 3J- years' service, said Uiat in civil life he was a plumber. He uame from Tanmalri. .tfe was one of Ihoso at No. 48 Upland Road when tho place was raided. His evidence was to the same effect as that of tho previous' witness.

Marion KHiott, who concluded her eyiilenco yesterday, agaiu entered the wit-ness-box for further examination. Witness 'answered a number of questions put to her by various counsel, and was then cross-examine! at length. Inspector Marsaek: You won't say the placo was run like a Sunday school?—' "Oh, no." • What have, you done for a living sines Hie beginning'uf this yeur?—"l did geniTal oiftee work until the beginning of the year." WJiose oßieo? —"Garnet Holmes Motor Company." You were hie clerk?— I did the general office work. Now and again T did the typing. During the last three weeks of April my mother sent me money and mv sis For also helped mo." Any allegations of immorality have been embroidered on to an otherwise truo story?—" Yes." You remember being there with Gillespie?—"Yes." Alma Elliott, a sister of the accused Marion Elliott, gave lior age as 21 years, and said that she had been employed us a clerk at the N.Z. Picture Supplies for the past fifteen months. Olliver Nool Gille=pie. film manager, N Is. Picture Supplies, deposed that Miss Ol'sen used to be the firm's lilni-manag-er's chief typiste, which position she had occupied for nbout two years. She wns vory competent and very efficient, lie was appointed to the film-manager's position at very short notice in March last. Within two days of Ins appointment Miss Olsen left the'otfice at her own accord.] This left him in a bad position, as Miss' Olsen knew tho ins and outs of the business. Some fow days after ahe left she rang- up the office, and said she thought of going to Sydnoy. After a number of conversations ho de-

cided to visit lier end sec if he could persuade her to remain in tlio empluy of tlio company. This lie <lid with the sanction of tlio directors. 110 arrived at No. 4S Upland Road at 8 p.m., and stayed there, in tho dining-room, till shortly after nine. , While he was. present no improprieties' wero 'committed. « Edward James Righton, managing director of the New Zealand Picture Supplies, testified that Gillespic (the previous witness) had gone to 18 Upland Road at the instance of his directors in an endeavour to persuade Miss Olseu to continue her engagement with the coniLouisa Elliott, a married woman living with her huehiind at Blenheim, said that Marion Elliott was her daughter. In August last slio left homo for Wellington. She was in touch with her daughter two and three times a week while they were in Wellington. Sho kept Marion supplied with money, besides which she had been working and living with her other sister, Alma Elliott. Her home was still open to the two girls, and ahvavs would be.

At'this stage the Court adjourned until this morning.