TERRIBLE OUTRAGE ON A GIRL.

Kumara Times, Issue 3093, 1 October 1886, Page 2

TERRIBLE OUTRAGE ON A GIRL.

♦ THE GIRL'S STATEMENT. The Sydney Morning Herald ©f the 11th instant contains the following accouut of a dreadful outrage committed upon a girl in Moore Park:—At about four o'clock on Thnrsday afteruoon a respectable-looking man arrived in a breathless state at the Redfern Police Station, and reported that half an hour previously he had witnessed a honible scene in Moore Park. He said that he was walking through the scrub in the neighborhood of Mount Rennie, when his atteation was attracted by the piercing screams of a female. He rushed towards the direction of the sounds, and shortly came upon about a score of men surrounding a girl, whose clothing whs in a mutilated condition, and who lay prostrate on the ground. Two or three of the ruffians were holding her down whilst another was criminally assaulting her. He immediately shouted out to them to stop, and ran forward with the intention of rescuing the unfortunate girl, who screamed for bi'lp, but was met by a shower of missiles and emphatic threats that if he attempted to interfere it would cost him his life. Knowing that it would be worse than useless to attempt to cope with the infuriated wretches, he ran away, and made his way with some difficulty across country to the Redfern Police Station, where he told his story as stated. As there were no constables available at Redfern at the time, the intelligence was communicated by telephone to the No. 3 station (Darlinghurst), and as soon as practicable police were despatched from both stations to the scene of the outrage. When they came within view of the spot it was apparent that the informant's story was true, for the sickening scene described by him was still being enacted. The ruffians, however, were quickly aware of the approach of the officers of the law, and made off with all speed in different directions. Pursuit was given but, owing to the boggy nature of the ground, and the fact that the police were unacquainted with the locality, the malefactors succeeded in eluding capture. Their victim was afterwards found in the same spot, in a terribly exhausted condition, with the clothes nearly torn from her body. As quickly as possible her deliverers got her out of the scrub, and placed her in a cab, by which means she was conveyed to the No. 3 police station. Here she appeared dazed for awhile, but partially regained consciousness at intervals, during which she was able in a disconnected manner to relate how she came to be in such terrible straits. She was thrown down and criminally assHulted by one of them, whilst others held her; and she was assaulted by a dozen men afterwards before the. arrival of the police. She was examined by Dr. Maisden on the same uiglit, and that gentleman discovered undoubted signs of her having been brutally outraged. There was also bruises on her body. She remained in the care of the police until yesterday evening, when she commenced to vomit blood, and was immediately conveyed to the Sydney Hospital, where she was attended by Dr. Fisher. Since the occurrence the police have succeeded in arresting eight men, several of whom have been identified by the girl as participants in the assault.

From a statement made by the victim of this shocking crime we give the following:—» My name is Maty Jane Hicks; I am a servant girl, and am 16 years of age; I was educated at the Bathurst Convent School; when about 14 years of age I left the school; I do not know how many years I was an inmate of the institution; I was not born there; 1 do not know where I was born ; I know nothing whatever about my father and mother; I have four brothers, but no sister; not lon» since I wrote to my brother Charles at Bathurst. I have reason to believe that ho lived in that town till lately • I have recived no reply to the letter •' I do not know anything of my three other brothers ; on Thursday morning last I was walking along Sussex Btreet* near Goulburn street, a cabman called to me and asked me where I was going to ? I said that I was going to look for a situation, and that I was first of a!! going to a registry office in Castlereagh street. The cabman replied that he was going that way, and that he was going to try and find a house for his brother" the cabman, while remaining in his seat, asked me to get into the cab, and told me that be would drive me whereeyer I wanted to go; I twice refused his offers; afterwards the cabman left his seat and got on to the footway with me; he was a middle-aged man, not very tall; he had a red beard; after he go. off hit; swt he (old me to get into his cab; I then got inside the aih, and asked him where he was goin° to drive

m( 'i the man replied, "We'll go out somewhere and spond an hour or two;" he further said that he would par for my board and lodging if I desired it; I told him that I would not accompany him; he then took his seat and drove off; I did not have time to get out of the cab; the cabman drove across George street and up to Moore Parkat Moore Park he left, his seat, camo into the cab, and commenced to tali 9 liberties with mo; I screamed loudly, and this brought a young man, apparently about 20 years of age, to the spot; he offered to show me the way to ihe tram line, and said that the cabman was driving me to ; R fc that time two other men werestandingashort time away; the cabman resumed his seat, and at once drove off; I accompanied the young man, who offered to show me my vray ; he took me into the bosh, near some premises which he said were called the Rope Works; he then said that he thought I must feel tired, and asked me to sit down for a little while; he said that if I rested he would gather tue some flowerß; I sat down for a littles while; after picking some flowers, the young fellow went and spoke to four or five other young men who were standing not far away ; he then returned to me, and gave me some flowers. Shortly afterwards he endeavoured to commit a criminal offence upon me. I screamed, and thus attracted to the scene two raon, who came from a totally different direction to that in which the other four or five men referred to had been standing; upon these two men coming to rescue me the person who had tried to assault me ran away; the four or five men from the bush rushed upon the two men who had come to my aid, threw a number of stones and old boots at them, and drove theai away; the young fellow who had endeavoured to assault me, together with the other four or five persons, then offered to show me the way to the tram line, so that I could return home; I acconipauied them because I thought that if I refused they would compel me; they took me farther into the bush, and, after breaking up some of the scrub threw me upon it, aud assaulted me; I saw the faces of four or five of the persons who assaulted me; after seven or eight men had assaulted me I became unconscious; I did hot at the time of the assaults see the faces of all the men who committed the offence; this was because my eyes were coveted while some of the men/ were assaulting me; I saw additional faces after I recovered my consciousness, and while the men were starting to run away; the police came upon the scene shortly afterwards. When I recovered con. sciousnesness I was sitting on the gronnd and leaning against a tree; I felt very ill; I had very little clothing on. My stockings were hanging up as if to dry; they had been washed. My dress had been taken off, and torn to pieces. I was tidily dressed when I left, home that morning. I have never cohabited with men of questionable character. Up to the time of the occurrence at Moore Park on Thursday last I had maintained purity of person. [By Telegraph.] Sydney, Septomber 14. At the Water Police Court, Sydney yesterday, William Hall, 22, enginefitter, and George Duffy, 18, wool, washer, were charged by warrant that they did, on the 9th day of September, in company with others, without her consent, " ravish and carnally know one Mary Jane Hicks." The court was crowded when the case was called on, as it was anticipated that some of the particulars of the outrage on the giil might be heard by the bench. The police, however, asked that the prisoners should he remanded until Friday next, and the magistrate granted the application. The whole of the men who have been apprehended and charged with being concerned in the assault will be brought before the court on Friday morning, when it is expected that the girl will be sufficiently recovered to give give evidenca. | September 18. An immense crowd assembled outside the Water Police Court, Sydney, on September 17th, in anticipaiion of hearing the Moore Park outrage case The mob filk-d the street, interrupting all traffic, and > as soon as tho doorl were thrown open, the Court was crowded to suffocation by an unsavory mas, of larrikins. Mr Marsh at once ordered the Court to be cleared, greatly to the disapp intment of the lovers of disgusting sensationalism/ Ten men, named Leslie Douglas, John Fuller, Nicholl Donnellon, William Hill, George Duffy, Michael Mangan, Wil! ham Newman, Hugh Miller, George Reegan, and Charlea Sweetman, weie thon charged with having committed a criminal assault on Mary J ane Hicks ».t Mount itennie, on October Bth and were remanded. '