VAGRANCY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2397, 12 January 1909, Page 5

VAGRANCY.

CHARGES AGAINST MAN AND WOMAN. CONVICTIONS RECORDED. At the Police Court yesterday morning, before Mr W. A. Barton, SAL, ;i woman, named Elizabeth Brady, was charged with being an idle and disorderly person, in that she had insufficient lawful means of support. Accused pleaded not guilty. -Sergt. Hutton said he had known the accused for six months. She had been living with a man named Jackson, in Rutene Road, and near the Cook memorial/ Complaints were made that the Rutene Road house was badly conducted, and on watch being made, it was found that drunken characters and others were in the habit- of visiting the premises. Respectable females, were accosted frequently in the vicinity, and addressed as “Lizzie.” Accused made complaint to him some time ago about another woman occupying the back premises for immoral purposes. Witness here described having caught accused making for an act of immorality. On the approach .of witness accused and her companion went a wav, and he followed them to a right-of-way, where he saw the attempt'being repeated. Witness advised accused to leave town, or she would be "arrested. Accused .next made her appearance in Brooking's house, in Gladstone Road, where she was living with’ a man named Harvey. Complaints were made from this neighborhood. that drunkenness am! rowdyism existed. Latterly accused hid been parading on E> : with Harvey in attendance, and taking sundry men on to the esplanade for immoral purposes. It was conduct of this nature that caused her arrest on Saturday night List. Since he had known accused he was not aware that site had done any work. Detective Rawle said he had known the accused for three months. He nave similar evidence as to her habits and the company she kept. Witness •further gave evidence as to the arrest of the accused who, when had two separate sums of os tied up in her handkerchief, and a 6d tied up in another corner. When asked where she was -living accused would only reply “two and a-halr .miles away. Witness subsequently discovered that she was living in Ballance Street. Wliata upoko. * Complaints that itau been made were to tlie effect that accured was frequently accosting men on the Jvaiti esplanade, while Harvey her companion lurked in a doorway. Constable Scott- also gave evidence of a similar nature. He had never known accused to do any work. Accused made a rather rambling statement in general denial of the police evidence. His Worship r/iid that the accused bad failed to give a good account of herself. Undoubtedly she was earning her living as a common prostitute. The sente uc© of the Court would he that she would bn imprisoned in the Namier gaol for three calendar mouths, with hard labor. A similar charge* was preferred against a- man named William Harvey. who, for some time past, has, boon living with the wonltn Brady. Accused pleaded not guilty. Sergeant- Hutton gave evidence of having seen Harvey rejieated-’y shadowing the woman Brady while she carried on immoral practices in the back parts of the town. Harvey also brought- liquor from the hotels, and took it in the direction in which, the woman had gone. Witness' attention was first drawn to accused on the night ho was assaulted by a, man named Jnekson ill _ Brooking s house. Since this occasion Harvey liad done no work, and admitted so at the time of his arrest. The medical 'expenses incurred at the time of liis injury by Jackson had not been paid, although accused had been asked to pay. Accused invariably replied that lie had no money, untiL about- eight clays ago. when he paid Constable Scott- 10s. On arrest accused liad no money, and to witness’ observation the woman Brady had been keeping him. Detective Rawle gave evidence of a similar nature, and testified to the arrest of accused, who was penniless, and admitted having done no work for eleven weeks. Constable Scott also gnvc evidence. He had asked accused several times for the doctor's fee in connection with* the injury sustained by him atthe time of the assault by Jackson. Accused stated that when he left the railwav works he lind between £4O and £SO, and had money ever since. His Worship said that he had no doubt t-liat the accused' had been living on the woman’s prostitution. It was a most disgraceful thing to see ayoung man living in such agpanner on an unfortunate woman. Accused would he sentenced to three calendar mouths’ imprisonment with hard \ibor in the Napier Gaol.