A FORGIVING STAR

Evening Star, Issue 22465, 9 October 1936, Page 12

A FORGIVING STAR

ACTRESS BOOED BY STUDENTS A radio star gavo evidence in Edinburgh Sheriff' Court against two medical students charged with her “ kidnapping ” from an English theatre during Edinburgh Charities Week. She heard fines imposed and smiled her relief. Afterwards she commented, ‘‘ I was so afraid the boys might be sent to gaol. The sheriff (Sheriff Robertson) was an old darling. I am glad the whole business is ended. I have forgiven everything.” A crowd of women awaited Miss Houston as she left the court. Her appearance was the signal for an outburst of booing, and police cleared a way to,her car. The accused students were John Roderick Mackay Johnston and Kenneth Brauer. Charges against a third student had been dropped. Johnston and Brauer were accused of four instances of assault and with illegally securing custody of Miss Houston’s person and forcibly detaining her for the purpose of obtaining £25 from the theatre management as a contribution to Edinburgh Charities Week.

The charges also alleged that they assaulted the stage doorkeeper, John Ferrier.

Johnston was fined £5 or 30 days, and Brauer £3 or 20 days. Miss Houston gave her address as Gladvale Avenue, Edgeware,. London. She said: “ I was changing my dress when I heard a noise outside the theatre. All I had on was a chiffon blouse and panties. “ I heard a bit of a scuffle outside, and I went to the door. I heard a cry, ‘We are ready now, boys,’ or something to that effect. “ I got a bit panicky because of the crowd. . . . A man who w.is standing about 2yds away from the door—Johnston—shouted at me, * Come on, we want you.’ “ He pulled me out into the hallway. The boys were in the doorway and everywhere. “ Other people as well as Johnston got hold of me, and I was lifted off my seat and carried out. ' “ I resisted and was a. bit hysterical. I had' kicked a man twice.

‘‘l.appealed to them to let me go. I had no idea of the intention of the crowd. If I had known, I would not have been so afraid.”

Miss Houston was asked by Mr James Adair (Procurator Fiscal) if Johnston had said anything. "• She replied, “ Yes, I was kicking him, and he said, ‘lf you kick me again I will hit you on the something mouth.’

“ I kicked him again.” (Laughter.) The car, said Miss Houston, was some distance up the street. She was lifted into it, she thought, through a window as she gripped the roof, and it was while this was being done that she hurt her back. She was scratched.

Mr Neil Maclean, K.C., representing Johnston, asked Miss Houston if she had ever heard of kidnapping. She retorted, “ Yes—only in America.”

Miss Houston added that it had not been put to her that the kidnapping was a student stunt.

“ If they had told me, I am sporting, and I would have put on my dressing gown and gone with them.” She agreed that she had a great fear of being in narrow spaces, especially where there were crowds, and that she became hysterical. She suffered from claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces). When asked if this affliction did not make her imagine that things were really worse than they were, she replied, “ I had real reason for my panic.” When the question was repeated later Miss Houston said: “I am here on oath, and I would like to be able to say that to keep the boys out of trouble.” Johnston admitted that he organised the rag, but said he had stressed that no violence was to be used. He denied using bad language, and said that Miss Houston seemed mostly concerned about her scanty clothing. Sheriff Robertson dismissed two of the assault charges.