Supreme Court.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 140, 17 June 1904, Page 4

Supreme Court.

THURSDAY, JUNE 16. (Before hiß Honour Mr Justice Edwards). —Alleged Indecent Assault. — The hearing of the charge against John Turner was resumed. William E. Percival, architect and commission agent, lnglewood, was called to produce plans of Bishop's house. There were about one and a half miles of unmetalled road between the house and lnglewood. To Mr Samuel : The house stood about three chains from the road—rather more. He would not think that any sane man would attempt to commit an indecent assault on a woman in the sitting room of the house. He had never hcuixl unythiJUgj against accused's character or morality 'before this affair commenced.

Frank Petersen, a tinsmith, of lnglewood, who had been working in the early part of March at Bishop's house, gave evidence. He left there an March 2ml. Mi- Kerr : What was the behaviour of Turner towards the children Hetty, Jane and Eva, whilst you were working there '.' Mr Samuel objected to the question, as it was to produce general evidence not connected with the charge beforo the court. Petersen was not there on the day the offence was alleged to have 'been committed. Mr Kerr said he wished to show the behaviour of the accused towards the children on a date previous to March sth.

Mr Samuel, instructed by the prisoner, withdrew his objection. Witness said he saw nothing objectionable in the man's behaviour there. On March 2nd he saw accused romping and skylarking with the girls. Mr and Mrs Bishop were awuy in lnglewood that day, Before the triul in the lnglewood court the accused had come to him and spoken to him about the case. He asked if witness would be in tho case. He replied "Yes, I expect so,'' Turner said "Which side jrill you be on?" Witness answered "Against Iyou, 1 suppose." There was further general conversation'.

To Mr Samuel : Turner did not mention to him anything about a slander case against the Bishops. Ha had never seen Turner guilty of indecent conduct. On that occasion he slept in the kitchen. Ho had slept in an outhouse since.

This closed the case for the prosecution.

Mr Samuel addrcssod a few brief remarks to the jury, and called Lillian Turner, wife of John Turner, who said she had been married to Mm for four years and nine months. She knew (he Bishops and the families, had interchanged visits She had seen Mrs bishop, the three girls, and Mrs Bishop's little grandson at the Inglewood flower showon March JOth. Their manner towards her was constrained. She had not had any conversation with, them since. It was aibout a week after that when she heard allegations against her h»sband's character. She and her husband came into New Plymouth to seek legal advice in the matter of clearing his character by instigating an action for slander against the Bishop family. Their domestic life had been happy and unclouded up to this time. To Mr Kerr : Witness had known the Bishops for about three months before March sth. Sho had stayed at Bishop's. They were kindly and hospitable people. The accused, John Henry Turner, ' after giving evidence of the building contract completed by him on March 7th on the Everett road, said he had Mounted with the Bishops whilst working there, paying ten shillings per week. On the last Saturday he was there (ith March} two lady visitors, Mr Coleman, the Bishop family, a Swiss man, and accused were living in the house. On that afternoon he was removing the front door and boarding up the. space left. The door was removed before dinner. He could not. remember Whether Coleman or the Swiss man was at dinner. After dinner he boarded up the opening, first on the outside, and then on the inside, finishing about a quarter past four. He couldnot remember where tho girls were. They were in the habit of skylarking whilst he was at work, and often played with or ran away with his tools. There wns nothing unusual in their behaviour that day. He had never behaved in any way indecently towards the girls. Until this affair he had never 1/eeu in court. Previous to the laying of the informations against him on April 20th, he had heard statements a-g-ainst his character, and had proposed bringing an action against the Bishops for slander. To Mr Kerr : Witness was at Bishop's house for a. little more than a month. Before the additions there were four rooms and a scullery, lis added a room and a hall. The Swiss man and Hetty Bishop had sworn falsely when they swore to immoral relations l/etween him and Hetty. The evidence of the two younger. girls j n t | lis HcUon , vaß alse-an invention. He had not yet been lull.r paid for his work. To Mr Samuel ; There had been a dispute between nrcused and the Bishops as to the work done. The disagreement started on Monday, March ,th He had had small qmu-I aflxmt education and religion. Mrs worl° P ~ro. u i,sod, x " V*y Jiim for his ork.on the subsequent Wednesday, l»ut did not do so . l,e went for his r?™ the f t 1 »■»«> W .1, a ihvr ~ot " r ««ment aIwut the money. He got un ()rt |, T for money, leaving a o't due to him. The Bishops complained on Monday, ihireh 7 ' t , '" , U w Since then thc.v hud been „ n ta(l the e m consequence of that, to son e ■er°l9oi Kt 'n V- 1 "" was in Novemthofawty of \h<;„V r of Counsel admitted" th.',, ' , ation was 1,,-, i , ~ tllu "»"nn- ,' I,s cl »s«' the defence Lounscl addressed the i,„v ~ 'ensHi and his ll™ ' ■ a ' so "« ! , ;;l".C'^