A SOUTHERN ASSAULT CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10160, 9 February 1911, Page 6

A SOUTHERN ASSAULT CASE.

WELL-KNOWN BUSINESS MAN . INVOLVE]). William Pitcaithly, who is on trial at Chrisfcchurch on a charge of indecently assaulting a housemaid a'ged 18, is v/eli-known in business circles, and has been married sixteen years and has five children. The evidence in the Lower Court was to the effect that Mrs Pitcaithly happened to be away from homo .for a few hours, when, according to the complaint-ant's ■ story, Pitcaithly followed her from room .to room while she was cleaning windows. She ran out once and asked Pitcaithly's son and some boy friends who were on the lawn to keep within reach, and the alleged assault was said to have been committed when she was cleaning windows in another room later. According to the story told tlie Court, Pitcaithly seized her by the shoulders from behind and threw her on the bed. She struck him in the face, kicked him in the stomach, and screamed to the boys on the lawn, and ran out with her hair and blouse dishevelled and some of her clothing torn. One of the boys had run for his mother, and she and a neighbour came in and questioned Pitcaithly, who had followed the crying girl to a shed, and who denied that he had done anything to her. It was said that his son contradicted him, and that he and the other boys had seen through the open window. Pitcaithly, according to evidence, said: "What have I done that even my own son turns against me," adding that the boys' aunty had similarly trietl to make a fuss without reason. Pitcaithly said the girl slapped him in the face, the lady neighbour saying it served liim right. In Court, a boy who had freely told his story to the police and had subsequently been seen by accused solicitor refused t,o utter a word. Pitcaithly said the girl told him she was going to leave to get £1 per week, and when he called her a liar and said she must not leave, she slapped him, whereupon he seized her to prevent her hitting him, and she fell on to the bed.