DISTRICT COURT, REEFTON.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 56, 17 August 1877, Page 2

DISTRICT COURT, REEFTON.

Wednesday, August 15, 1877, I (Before His Honor Judge Weston.) Eegina v. Annie Beo-wn. Vnnio Brown \*as charged upon indict-ment-with keeping a disorderly bouse. Mr South prosecuted on behalf of the Crown. Prisoner, who was undefended, pleaded '• Not Guilty." Mr South opened the case for the Crown with great moderation. He said it was his intoation to confine the caso as nearly as possible to the depositions. It would be necessary to call additional witnesses,' but in order that the accused might not be prejudiced by such a course

she bad been served with notice. He would take the opportunity of remarking, not merely as Crown Prosecutor, but as a conservator of public morals, that he quite concurred in the course taken by the presiding Magistrate. It was neces» sary to prove that the house kept by the prisoner was disorderly and a nuisance to the public and inhabiters of the neighborhood. Policemen in regard to criminals were like sportsmen in search of game, but he (Mr South) in the exorcise of a discretion, had gone outsido the evidence of the police, and would put a Dumber of witnesses in the box who would prove the nuisance alleged. John Jeffries— l am a police constable stationed at Eeefton. I have known tho prisoner at the bar for about twelve years. She has been in Eeefton for nino months: I have seen her very frequently during her stay in Eeefton. She keeps a j brothel and a very indifferent one too. It is usually noisy of anight time. I re. collect the night of the 29th June last. My attention was called to the place on that day ; I heard screaming and cries of murder coming from the house and went there, and finding the front door closed I went round to the back door, and the door being opened, went in. The place was in total darkness. I heard a child crying and saying that somebody had killed her mother. I struck a match and saw the prisoner lying on the floor drunk. Two men were also lying on the floor. They were all drunk. Have heard continued jomplaints from persons residing in the neighbourhood. The general repute of the the house is bad. It is ono of the lowest class of brothels. I recollect the night of the 15th July, I was outside the house for about half an our. I heard a number of persons quarrelling, and subsequently saw a number of drunken persons coming out of the house. It was a Sunday evening at 11.30 o'clock. The place is a nuisance to the neighbourhood. I reside within a few doors of prisoners house, end as a citizen, I Bay that the house is a nuisance to the town and ought to be suppressed. Cross-examined by prisoner— l know that your house is a brothel. I have known you for twelve years, and you have kept a brotnel during that time. By the Court — I know that the prisoner keeps li brothel having been told so by persons visiting there. I know that the women who visited heY house keep brothels, as they are themselves prostitutes, and have been convicted of offences. Prisoner is the actual occupier of the house in question. Cliarlos Langton Neville — I nm Sergeant of l'uliue, st.it ioned in Reefton, and have kno vi the i»risortcr s'lu-e 1872. During tli-tt tune sin* Inn al vays been v prostitute. Her home hits been a nuisance to tlio neighbourhood us a brothel, and hnvo h"»r i frequent complaint* concerning it from pen-on* residing in the neig'i bourhood. Have seen women of noted ilUfarao co'iiireg:tte at prisoner's house. Hhvo occasion to pass her house frequently. George Tilbrook — I am a printer and publisher, and reside in Walsh Street. Our printing office is in the lower end of Uroadway. Have often seen prisoner, and know that the house she lives in is a reputed brothel. The house is known as a brothel, and have heard sounds coming from the house. Recollect on one occasion hearing a child crying piteously, and tables and chairs thrown about the house, and went to the police. It was on the night; that Jeffries locked up a man from the house. Heard voices in the house. Have since heard disturbances there. The house is a nuisance to the neighbourhood. | Cross-examined by prisoner— You have been a nuisance to me. By the Court— The house is a nuisance to the neighbourhood. Have seen men going in and out of the louse. Thomas Crumpton— I am a blacksmith residing in Reefton. I have known the accused for about two months, the lives next to my workshop. 1^ don't know anything of the woman. May have been noise theee, but being rather hard, of hearing took no notice. On one occasion remember the landlady of the blouse trying to turn her out. ' ■•' ' - '• ■ P. Q. Caples — I am a miner, and .when in town live opposite prisoner's house. I know nothing of prisoner except that there fire frequently noises in her house I did on one occasion complain that the bouse was a nuisance. Have heard noise a. few times in her house. The house is i nuisance to me. Have seen persons joing in and out of her house— both men md women. By the Court— l, have several . times ieard noises in the house. It seemed as ihough furniture were being thrown ibout the' house. I, also heard angry vords. Heard a disturbance there about i fortnight ago. George Heslop: I live in Broadway, vithin two buildings of the accused's louse. • Her house has been noisy and ihe is an unpleasant neighbor. Believe he is mistress of the house. Hare seen cputed prostitutes going in and out of he house, and heard disgraceful noises lomiug from the house at all times both light and day. This closed the case for the proseouion. In ajiswor to the usual question the ceuscd said she was not guilty and had lothing to say. . <^ £S£S

i His Honor then summed up, pointing out to tlie jury, He said the keeping of a house ot th* character attributed to accused's was not r.egar.ded by the law as an offense, unless it wer.ealsq shown that such house was a disorderly one, and a nuisance to those living *n the neighborhood and to passers-by. If the general disorderly character of the. house was proved, that was sufficient for. conviction. The present case was to. be regarded as an ordinary one, and no feeling should be imported into it. Accused was a woman, and those of the sterner sex might feel some compassion for her because they were all in a sense responsible for the position in which she stood ; but ap^rt from that, if a woman bre&fcs the law she must be punished. Judges, in delivering judgment in such cases temper judg« ment with mercy. Hi! Honor then proceeded to review the* evidence; concluding as follows :—" Mr South incidentally remarked that policemen in search of criminals had been likened to. sportsmen in search of game, but if the evidence of policemen was on that account to be regarded as generally untrustworthy, wemight as well be without them, and the ends of justice would be frustrated. If, in conclusion then you think the indictment has been made out. say so ; but if you entertain a reasonable doubt, acquit her. You for the time .'Deingf'Btand between the Crown and the public, and if the accused, though a woman, has broken the law, she should be punished, and you, will at the same time bear in mind that, you as men are in the abstract respon-. sible for her default." The public then retired from the Court house to allow the jury to deliberate, and on the case being called on a verdict ofGuilty was recorded, the jury adding a recommendation to mercy, on accpunt of* the prisoner's child. Prisoner said she was 27 years, of age, and in answer to the usual question said she hoped the Court would have pity on her. His Ilcaor, in passing sentence, said : " Prisoner at the bar : That the Court will have pity on you is certain. The Court regrets that a woman at the. age of 27 should be found guilty of being the lowest of persons. That our sex is res* ponsiblo for your sins I have but to again repeat. But while that is 9% society must be protected against the effects of a nuisance such as your house lias been proved to be, and the constant recurrence to the mind of the scenes enacted within. It is for tins the Court has to punish, not so much as to punish tho woman ; as her punishment must have been daily. Consideratios for your child hns led the jury to add a recommendation to mercy. The child will be better without than with you. Government will provide for the child, and being away from you, will grow up a better member of Kouiuty, and seeing it prosper in the right path, even you' may turn to a better, life. You are sentenced to four months imprisonment in Nelson gaol."