AN ABDUCTION CASE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2093, 30 May 1907, Page 2

AN ABDUCTION CASE

A TIIUSTIXG DAMSEL.

Press Association. AUCKLAND. lllst > litsht ‘ Tlio hearing of charges against Arthur Harris of criminally assaulting and abducting a girl under 10 Mb continued this morning. Among the witnesses,called bj tho prosecution a ' married woman living at Devonport.. She said that accused got some food from her one morning in January, and ho- remarked.that ho had run awo* with a girl. Witness asked who" the gin was, and what was her ago, the prisoner replying, “She is 1*1; f! l'° bo 16 in June.” ■ . Mr. Lundon opened the case for the defence by briefly addressing the The accused was then called. , Ho was, he said, 20 years of age a tortnight after he left the employ of prosecutrix’s father. He wrote informing her that he did not wish to have anything more to do with her. She subsequently sent a letter stating she would meet him at a hotel ill Karangahape-road, and she did so. They went to the Domain, and witness asked her to go Jmme, but she refused. Witness therefore stayed with her. Continuing his evidence, accused said the girl told him she would follow him anywhere. ihey went to N<srth Shore, because she said she could stay with someone# there, but upon arriving at Devonport prosecutrix declared she knew nobody. As he had no money the ferry fares were paid by tho girl. Ho denied having told the Devonport witness he know tlio girl’s age to be 15! His impression, gained in a conversation with, the prosecutrix was that she was over 16. Cross-examined by Mr. Tolc, accused said ho was so tormented by prosecutrix that at . last he ma e up” to her, though he was very unwilling. T Tho Crown Prosecutor (the Hon. J. A. Pole) said the girl was not yet 16, and at the time the offences were alleged to have been committed was only a few months over 15. Her father is a horse-trainer and prisoner is a jockey, who lived in the same house. He was. warned by tho girl’s father, and it was alleged that he took her away o.ne night and they stayed away till the following day, when some friends of the girl’s saw her and took charge of her. Some letters written by the girl were read. In them. .she said she loved accused and would w r ait- for him if lie would, have her—if not she would take the veil, as her "parents had "threatened to put herein a convent. The case was adjourned till to-mor-row morning. .

- The jury were uot locked up hut were cautioned not to speak to anyone about the case.