A SAVAGE BRUTE.

NZ Truth, Issue 58, 28 July 1906, Page 5

A SAVAGE BRUTE.

Cunningham's Concupiscent. Capers.

A Burnham Beauty Brought to Book,

1 A most exemplary sentence was. 1 passed ion a female ravisher at Christchurch Supreme Court this, week by Mr Justice Cooper, who pointed out the enormity of the scoundrel's offence in no uncertain terms. The prisoner was a low-looking young; fellow named Henry Cunningham, <yho commrfr- , ted the offence at a farm on Alford Forest Roadj Ashburton district. He it-is* tan. beauty, ami fiad only been in his job a week when he „ ravished a servant girl, 18 years of :,age;.of wttoni he .took advantage during the absence of other people from " 'the 'house. The blackguard made no ■': i; , defence at all when charged with ,the 1 prime, admitting it promptly and "■■^ to the police at *his employer's instigation. At 'the lower court he had no excuse to ofier 'for his 'outrageous conduct, and no wonder Crown Prosecutor Stringer characterised it as a most peculiar case when Cunningham was haled before Mr Justice Cooper. The prisoner handed in a written statement for his Honor's perusal, but it merely contained detailed admissions, of what had been stated in the other court. Headmaster Archey, of the precious Burnham institution, was present in . Court, and said that during the last five or six years he. understood Cunningham had been getting ■, on all right'. He was of weak, mental capacity, however. It then was admitted •that- some time ago he was i\ -■ CONVICTED OF STABBING SArohey. In giving Cunningham' once pound, the judge said the present was *■•.£. case in which, but for the sugges- <■• jtion that he was of weak mind, he * jjsvould order him to be flogged, ina;d- .- jdition.to the ordinary sentence. Rape '•-jwas .a most serious offence, and the v prisoner had committed it on this un» >■ fortunate girl under circumstances •H-Vthat proved him to he a de~i Signing ruffian. He had takes •advantage of the people being v<:- away from the premises and bru- • tally, bj, fear and coercion, kept her ::-. down for a long period of time and< '■' then, when she was thoroughly ex- ; '■■■ hausted, completed the ofience. Asr irhe doctor's evidence was not conclu- - sive as to the offence, his Honor hesiv: jated about ordering Cunningham to '•I>e flogged, and under the circumstan- • ,ceG he felt that he would not he doing '-wrong if he omitted flogging, but he i : would have to pass a very severe sen- . 1 f.tence upon him. The law provided Imprisonment for life, as. well as one, two or three floggings according to .., the discretion of the Court. The ".sentence of the Court would be ten 'years' hard labor in Lyttel ton GaoL V;As he left the dock the truculent I "brute gave the "judge an awful look, ../but it will he a long tithe before ,^.they meet again— if ever they do.,