TRIAL OF THE CABMAN. Sentence of Fourteen Years with Two Floggings.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 182, 11 December 1886, Page 4

TRIAL OF THE CABMAN. Sentence of Fourteen Years with Two Floggings.

Charles Sweatmam, cabman, was arraigned in the Central .Criminal Court, Darlinghurst, on Monday, before Mr Justice Windeyer, with having assaulted, with intent to commit an assault on Mary Jano nicks on September 9 last, and a second count charged him with having indecently assaulted the prosecutrix. — Mary

Jane Hicks said that Bho wae proceeding along Susscx-streot on the morning of Soptombov 9, when the prisoner, who was m charge o£ a cab, ottered to drive her to a registry office in Castle-reagh-streot. Instead of driving her thoro, ho drove her out near Forsy th's ropeworks, whore ho indecently assaulted her, and attempted to commit a capital offence. When the cab was leaving George-street witness looked out of the window and said, " I think yon are driving in the wrong direction." Ho said, "No; it is all right." When they had passed the ropeworks he stopped and camo into the cab. Ho asked whether she would live with him if ho furnished a houso, when slio ropliocl that she would not. Ho then, she alleged, committed the ci-imo with which he is charged. Cross-examined by the prisoner : When she met prisoner she did not ask for a drive. She did not say that sho had been to the registry oflicc. bho did not tell him that she had kept company with a young man who kept a skittle alloy for about two years, and only found out tho proyious night that he was married. After hearing further evidence, His Honor summed up, and tho jury retired to consider their verdict. After an absence of about twenty minutes they returned with a verdict of guilty. Hib Honor then said : Prisoner, .you have been found guilty ot! a most wicked qffonco, and one which lias not stopped at tho crime which you attempted. The probocutnx at this btage was placed in the witness-box, and, in response to His Honor, said it was after sho had be> n driven out to the rope-works that she had been so brutally assaulted by the men who were convicted on Saturday. His Honor, continuing his address to the t prisoner, bin d :— lt ib quite clear that, if it. harl not boon lor yon the girl woxilil not havo boon bubjected to the terrible outrage which has so shocked the community, Your conduct was the tiist cause ol this horrible crime, and you mubt be mado responsible lor what has happened to her. You cither took this girl out to the place you did for jour own purpos.es, ov elso you drove her there for the purpose of handing her over to others. As tar a& lum 1 will make you a warning to others, and make j oung women feel, as tar as I am concerned, that the strong arm of the law is aiound them. I will not hesitate to pass upon you the hea\ lost sentence the law will allow. Looking upon the consequences of your crane, and the results %\ lnch have followed it. 1 -will .sentence you to be kept in penal servitude lor tourteen years, w ith twenty-five lashes to be administered on .December and tvventj-lne hibhcb to be adininist.cicd on April 1, ISS7. Had it not been that you appear not to be a strong man I w ould have given you a much more severe sentence as legards the jlogging.