Nurses Escapade

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 350, 10 May 1928, Page 1

Nurses Escapade

RAN AWAY WITH MARRIED MAN ABDUCTION CHARGE FAILS How a married man and a single girl who accompanied him as his wife, toured through New Zealand in spite of her father’s protests, and were eventually arrested at Ashburton, was told in the Supreme Court before Mr. Justice Blair. Arising out of the escapade came a charge of abduction against James Henry McKeich. aged 23. a labourer, who pleaded not guilty. After a retirement of three-quarters of an hour this morning the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. Mr. Osborne Lilly appeared for the Crown, and Mr. Brodie represented the accused.

It was stated that the accused became friendly with the - girl at Morrow a Kawakawa, and on February 13 ast they were travelling to Whangarei when her father intercepted them at the Moerewa station. At a later date the couple managed to elude the girl s father, and. contrarv to his wishes. proceeded to Whangarei. From there they visited in turn. Dargaville. Helensville. Auckland. Frankton and Palmerston North, and then Christchurch, and finally Ashburton. Bennett White, storekeeper, of Moeand fathei; of Patricia Joan >\ hue. aged 17, said his daughter, prior to February 13. had been a probationer nurse at the Bay of Islands Hospital. Lpon receiving certain information he went to the Moerewa station and found his daughter on the Aucklandbound train with-the accused. He ordered her off the train and took her home. He also ordered McKeich to have nothing more to do with his daughter. Later the same dav he p aced his daughter on a baker’s cart to return to the hospital, but that was the last he saw of her until after their return from the South. At the time of her departure his daughter had a credit of about £7O in the bank. GIRL’S RESENTMENT In reply to Mr. Brodie, witness said his daughter appeared to resent his interference, and gave him the impression that she desired to accompany McKeich. A statement by the accused was read by Detective Robertson, in w hich it was said that after being ordered out of the house, he was walking to Kawakawa when the cart caught him up and the girl jumped out and came back to him They then got a taxi which conveyed them to Whangarei for £4. The girl paid this out of her money. He had only 5s 4d in his pocket when they left on the trip, but the girl insisted on paying. She also bought and paid for a wedding ring in Auckland. When they arrived in Ashburton thev lived together under the name of Keitch. and both secured work. This closed the case for the prosecution, and Mr. Brodie intimated that he j wished to present legal argument on the question whether sufficient evidence had been brought forward by the Crown. The case was adjourned to allow of argument being heard In Chambers. GIRL NOT CALLED this morning, his Honour ruled that there was a case to go to the jury In opening the defence, Mr. Brodie said the active party throughout had been the girl. The Crown should have called her but failed to do so. Counsel contended that at the time of the escapade the girl was in the possession of the hospital, where she worked. When her father caught her on the train she was in his possession, but upon her being sent back *:o the hospital she aga.n went out of the possession of her parents. Counsel further stated that the girl was in reality acting on her own initiative. It was essential for the Crown to prove that the girl was in the possession of her father or mother. The girl had warned the accused that if he did not take her away she would kill herself. He therefore accompanied her —he did not take her—to save her from herself. THREAT TO KILL HERSELF In evidence, the accused said that before his departure with the girl he met her by arrangement in the main street of Kawakawa. She told him she was in trouble and wanted him to take her a way. It was at this time that she threatened to poison herself. "Witness told her he had no money, but she said she had plenty, and he could use it. He did his best to persuade her not to go away. Late the following night witness finally agreed to take her because of her determination to take her life if he would not do as she wanted. Cross-examined. witness said his wife had obtained a separation order against him. and he had failed to obey a maintenance order. He admitted staying in the same room as Misa "White, and living with her as man and wife at Ashburton. Addressing the jury, Mr. Brodie reiterated his previous remarks, and stressed the fact that it had to be proved that the accused had taken the active part in the escapade He submitted that there was no evidence of this, and the fact the inducement had come from the girl. Summing up. his Honour said the evidence was within a narrow cornpass, and there was little dispute on the facts. It was a difficult case because it was a peculiar one. He did not think he could say much mere than whether the evidence showed the accused had been the active party in the case. He would say. however, that it had been the acts of the accused which had placed the girl in the unfortunate position sh* found herself.