AN ABDUCTION CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9636, 30 October 1909, Page 6

AN ABDUCTION CASE.

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. At the Magistrate's Court, yesterday morning, before Mr R. H. Tur ton, S.M., William Hounslow, father of Spencer Aylmer Wilson Hounslow, aged ten, and having lawful custody of the boy, charged Alfred Charles Warren with taking the child awav with intent to deprive him of possession. Mr C. A. Pownall appeared for complainant, and Mr O'Leary (Wellington) for accused. William Hounslow, printer, Masterton, stated that on June 21th, 1895, vvas married to Rose Beatrice Perkins, near Greytown North. They bad a family of three children, the youngest of whom was the subject ot the information* In September, 1903.. his wife left him, and since then, he believed, she had lived with Warren. On Septemer6th, 1909, he obtained a decree nisi against his • wife on the ground of adultery, informant being given custody of the children. When his wife left him she took the children with her, and subsequently left them in Welling ton, whence he got them. They had beejji taken away from him again on several occasions. Two were returned periodically and abducted again. After obtaining the decree nisi he went to Matiere, on the Main Trunk line, to obtain custody of the children, having with him a copy of the decree nisi. He met the children some distance from the school, and took them with him to the boarding house. On the 15th of this month the youngest child, Spencer, was taken away. They were all sitting in a room in the boarding house, when the window was forced open ahdWarren and his divorced wife appeared on the scene. They grabbed hold of Spencer and dragged him through the window. Complainant could not do anything to rescue the boy, as accused had a . whip which he used to keep complainant away. He had not seen the boy since, and did not know where he was. The boy cried when he was being taken away. Rawdun Hounslow, son of complainant, aged thirteen, deposed to having been taken away from his : father by accused and witness' mother, with whom he and his brothers lived, He was not sent to school regularly, and wanted to go with his father when he came for him. When accused and witness' mother dame to the boarding house, accused hit witness' father with a ' riding crop, which the latter broke while grabbing at it. They took f. Spencer, and tried to get witness and his brother to come away too. " In taking Spencer away, they tied his hands. ' ■ Corroborative evidence was given by Rupert Hounslow. Accused reserved his defence, and pleaded not guilty. He was commit- : ted for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court in Wellington, on the 15th prox. Bail was allowed in one surety of £IOO in accused's on recognisance,