The Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 12 Aug 1897 1

COUNTRY NEWS.
———◦———

…

Wagga, Wednesday.

    At the Police Court to-day a Chinaman named Jimmy Han, charged with committing an assault on a schoolboy, aged 13, was committed for trial at the Circuit Court on 28th September.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Wagga Wagga Advertiser, Thu 12 Aug 1897 2

WAGGA POLICE COURT.
Wednesday, August 11.
(Before Mr G[eorge] Martin, PM.)

…

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

    Jimmy Han (a chinese, aged 60) was charged with committing an indecent assault on William Thomas Morris, on August 10. This case, which was conducted by Inspector Smith, was heard with closed doors. The evidence, which was of a most revolting character, showed that the accused, a decrepit and miserably attired old man, lived in a hut on the bank of the [Murrumbidgee] river. Sergeant Anderson (who arrested the accused), John Stanley Hunter (12), William Thomas Morris (13) and John Swansborough, laborer, were called as witnesses. The accused, who made no statement, was committed for trial to the Circuit Court on September 28.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Wagga Wagga Express, Thu 12 Aug 1897 3

WAGGA WAGGA POLICE.
———◦———
Wednesday, August 11, 1897.
————
(Before Mr G Martin, PM.)
————

…

INDECENT ASSAULT.

    Jimmy Han, a decrepid [sic] and ill-attired old Chinaman, was charged with having on the 10th inst committed an indecent assault on a boy named William Thomas Morriss [sic]. The case was heard with closed doors, and the accused was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Wagga Circuit Court to he held on September 28.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Depositions for Jimmy Han 29 Sep 1897 Wagga Wagga trial 4

 


(a) Town.

LETTER from Bench of Magistrates at (a) Wagga Wagga

 

transmitting Depositions

(b) Name in full of accused.

in the case Regina v. (b) Jimmy Han

(c) Offence.

(c) Assault with intent to commit the abominable crime of buggery

 

(d) Town.

Police Office, (d) Wagga Wagga

 

11th Augsust1897 

 

Sir,

 

I have the honor, by direction of the Bench of Magistrates,

 

to transmit herewith the Depositions, and other documents in the

(e) Name of accused

case of (e) Jimmy Han

(f) “His” or “her”

who has been committed to take (f) his

(g) “Circuit Court,” or
“Quarter Sessions.”

trial at the (g) Circuit Court

to be held at (h) Wagga Wagga

on Tuesday

(h) Town where Court
to be held.

the 28th day of September 1897

The accused is (i) Confined in the gaol at Wagga Wagga

(i) “Is confined in the
Gaol at …,” or “has been admitted to bail” (with full particulars as to sureties, addresses, occupations, and amounts, as set out in Recognizance.)

(k) As in Recognizance, both for Crown and defence, specifying also what witnesses gave evidence but were not bound over, with reason for omission.

The Witnesses bound over are (k) William John Anderson, John Stanley Hunter, William Thomas Morris, John Swansborough.

 

(l) Short description to enable identification.

The Exhibits enclosed are (l) nil

 

I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,

 

 

 

[Signed] Philip E[ld] Eldershaw

 

Clerk of Petty Sessions

THE SECRETARY,

ATTORNEY GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT.

N.B.– When a Police Constable acts as Clerk of Petty Sessions, this letter should be signed by one of the Committing Magistrates

4g 201-90

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Police Station Wagga
24th August 1897

    Sergeant William John Anderson reports the only other date that can be fixed for which accused committed a similar offence on the boy William Thomas Morris was on Thursday the 5th instant but there is no evidence of the accused having committed the offence on the date except the bare statement of the boy Morris.
[Signed] WJ Anderson, Sergeant.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Crown Solicitor’s Office,
Crown Law Branch,
Sydney, 21st August 1897

Wagga Wagga Circuit Court 28th September 1897

    Will the Officer in Charge of Police Wagga Wagga please inform me whether any other occasions can be fixed during the last six months upon which the accused named in the margin (Regina versus Jimmy Han) has committed a similar offence to the one he is now charged with.
    Sergeant Anderson has charge of the case.
[Signed] W[illiam] R[ichard] Beaver, Clerk of the Peace.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Crown Solicitor’s Office,
Crown Law Branch,
Sydney, 14 August 1897

    Will the Superintendent of Police Albury kindly ascertain and inform me if it will be necessary to secure the services of a chinese interpreter at the trial of the case named in the (Regina versus Jimmy Han attempted unnatural offence Wagga Wagga Circuit Court 28 September 1897) margin? If so, does a thoroughly competent and impartial chinese interpreter reside at or near Wagga Wagga who is in no way connected with the parties and who is believed by the Police reliable.
    Sergeant Anderson of Wagga Wagga has charge of the case.
[Signed] WR Beaver, Clerk of the Peace.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE.

Murray District,

Wagga Wagga Station.
12th August 1897.


Report relative to antecedents of:–
Name: Jimmy Han (chinese)
Offence: Committing an indecent assault on a male person.
Committed for trial at: Wagga Wagga Circuit Court
Date: 28th September 1897

    Sergeant William J Anderson No. 3618 reports:– that the accused has been residing in the chinese Camp Wagga Wagga for many years and that there are no convictions against him but it was given in evidence in this case that accused had been in the habit of committing similar assaults on the boy in this case for about two years and it is also alleged that accused had been in the habit of committing indecent assaults on other lads.
[Signed] WJ Anderson, Sergeant.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(M., 11 and 12 Vict., Cap., 42.)

Depositions of Witnesses.

Wagga Wagga
TO WIT.                  }

The examination of William John Anderson of Wagga Wagga in the Colony of New South Wales, John Stanley Hunter, William Thomas Morris and John Swansborough of Wagga Wagga in the said Colony, taken on Wednesday this 11th day of August in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety seven at Wagga Wagga in the Colony aforesaid, before the undersigned, one of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the said Colony, in the presence and hearing of Jimmy Han who is charged this day before me for that he the said Jimmy Han on the 10th day of August 1897 at Wagga Wagga in the said Colony, “did assault William Thomas Morris with intent to commit the abominable crime of buggery.”
[Signed] G Martin, PM.

1

    This deponent William John Anderson on his oath, saith as follows:–

    I am a Sergeant of Police and reside at Wagga Wagga.

    From information I received yesterday afternoon, I proceeded to the chinese Camp at Wagga Wagga in company with Senior Constable Blackburn and made search for the accused, I first saw the accused when he was brought to me by Senior Constable Blackburn, two young men named John Swansborough and Kong Fat said pointing to the accused “That is the man.” Accused said “I no do that”, nobody here spoken to accused up to that time as far as I know “That little boy come and sit down alongside of me”, I took the accused to the lock up and charged him with committing an indecent assault on William Thomas Morris, a male person on

2

10th August 1897, accused made no reply to the charge.

    Inspector South: In company with John Swansborough I proceeded to back of chinese Camp on the bank of the river, where there is a pig stye which is built on poles, it is about 5 feet from ground to floor of pigstye [sic], there I saw a trench had recently been made about 3 feet long, by about from 4 to 6 inches deep and the earth cleared away from the back of the trench, in front of the trench there were some large stones about 12 to 18 inches high. There were recent footprints about the trench, and that is the place where the alleged offence was committed. This morning I proceeded to the old wharf on the bank of the river. Under the wharf I saw the hole had been made in the ground about 4 inches deep and in front of that hole some large stones were erected that were similar to those under the pigstye. There were footprints there but

3

they were not recent. It would be difficult to observe any person under the wharf or under the pigstye unless you were near to them.

[Signed] WJ Anderson.

Taken and sworn at Wagga Wagga on 11th August 1897 before.
[Signed] G Martin, PM.

4

    This deponent John Stanley Hunter on his oath, saith as follows:–

    I am a schoolboy and reside at Wagga Wagga.

    I am living with my father in Tarcutta Street Wagga Wagga, I am 12 years of age. I was on the bank of the river yesterday (10 August /97) afternoon about quarter or half past 4 near the end of the land running from the lockup. I saw the accused, who is known to me by the name of “Fowls,” he went by himself to a little pigstye on the bank of the river. I know William Morris who goes to the public school. He ran along the bank to the pigstye where the chinaman went. The accused was the first to go into the pigstye near a piece of tin at the side of the pigstye. I saw the accused’s head bobbing up and down. I thought there was something wrong going on and I got

5

afraid. I ran up the bank and told Murrumbidgee River Seymon’s son and I heard Seymon’s son calling out to a man named Sammy. Sammy went to the pigstye and Morris ran away. I then saw the chinaman sitting on a stone in the pigstye. I did not see Morris after and never spoke to him or the accused.

[Signed] John Stanley Hunter.

Taken and sworn at Wagga Wagga on 11th August 1897 before.
[Signed] G Martin, PM.

6

    This deponent William Thomas Morris on his oath, saith as follows:–

    I am a schoolboy and reside at Wagga Wagga.

    I live with my father and mother in Crampton Street Wagga Wagga. I am 13 years old on 2nd March 1897. I know the accused by the name of (Fowls ?). I saw him yesterday afternoon about quarter past 4 in front of Kong Fat’s house in Fitzmaurice Street. He said Hulloh [sic] to me and I replied Hulloh to him. Accused then said to me “Come down to the pigstye”. He went down to the pigstye and I followed him. We went inside pigstye. When we got in the pigstye accused took down my trousers and forced me down on a brick. I put my hands out in front of me, I was lying on top of the bricks on my stomach, my feet were down in a

7

little trench from which accused had taken the clay away. My knees were down in the trench and leaning against the bank. My head was down and my backside was up. The accused undone his trousers at the fly and he stuck his perchment [sic] into my arse and he continued to do that for 4 or 5 minutes. His perchment did not go into my person. I jumped about and pulled it away with my hand. Just then Jack Swansborough came up and said I will tell the Police on you Fowls. When Swansborough came up my trousers were down and the chinaman was doing it to me. When Swansborough spoke I got up and ran away. When I saw accused in Fitzmaurice Street he promised to give me sixpence if I would go down to the pigstye. I did not get it because Swansborough came. I ran away because Swansborough came. I met accused first about 2 years ago when he tried to do this thing then when a person came along and prevented him. I afterwards

8

went to the saleyards with him. I went to the saleyards with him about 15 times. On these occasions he took my trousers down and do the same thing to me. He gave me sixpence on these occasions. He took me under the wharf about twice a week after and I was 3 times in the pigstye with him before and each time he gave me sixpence. I am clear that on this occasion his person did not enter my body.

[Signed] William Thomas Morris.

Taken and sworn at Wagga Wagga on 11th August 1897 before.
[Signed] G Martin, PM.

9

    This deponent John Swansborough on his oath, saith as follows:–

    I am a labourer and reside at Wagga Wagga.
I know the accused by the name of Fowls and I know the boy Morris. Between a quarter and half past 4 yesterday (10 August) afternoon in consequence of something told to me I went down to a pigstye on the river bank. I saw the accused and the boy Morris under the pigstye in a corner. The boy’s trousers were unbuttoned and right down to his knees, he was kneeling down and leaning with his head over some stones. The accused was on top of the boy Morris, having his head near his shoulders and the fly of the accused’s trousers were open. The accused kept moving at the boy as if he was going for him. I went up and caught hold of the accused and said “I will

10

tell the Police on you, you dirty old cow.” The boy Morris then ran away and I then pulled the accused down from under the pigstye and the accused then said “I will give you 6d. [sixpence] if you don’t tell a policeman,” and he gave me 6d. and I afterwards gave it to Sergeant Anderson and I then said I would tell the Police and I sent a boy to tell the Police. When the accused was on top of the boy I saw his private parts within his two fingers and it was directed against the boy’s bottom. I pointed the accused out to Sergeant Anderson.

[Signed] John Swansborough.

Taken and sworn at Wagga Wagga on 11th August 1897 before.
[Signed] G Martin, PM.

11

(N., 11 & 12 Vic., Cap. 42.)

Statement of the Accused.

New South Wales, Wagga
TO WIT.                              }

Jimmy Han stands charged before the undersigned, one of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace in and for the Colony aforesaid, this 11th day of August in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety seven for that he, the said Jimmy Han on the 10th day of August 1897 at Wagga Wagga, in the said Colony, “did assault William Thomas Morris, with intent to commit the abominable crime of buggery, on the 10th day of August 1897” and the examination of all the witnesses on the part of the prosecution having been completed, and the depositions taken against the accused having been caused to be read to him by me, the said Justice, (by/or) before whom such examination has been so completed; and I the said Justice, having also stated to the accused and given him clearly to understand that he has nothing to hope from any promise of favour, and nothing to fear from any threat which may have been holden out to him to induce him to make any admission or confession of his guilt, but that whatever he shall say may be given in evidence against him upon his trial, notwithstanding such promise or threat; and the said charge being read to the said Jimmy Han, and the witnesses for the prosecution William John Anderson, John Stanley Hunter, William Thomas Morris, John Swansborough being severally examined in his presence, the said Jimmy Han is now addressed by me as follows:– “Having heard the evidence, do you wish to say anything in answer to the charge? You are not obliged to say anything unless you desire to do so; but whatever you say will be taken down in writing and may be given in evidence against you upon your trial;” whereupon the said saith as follows:– [Nothing]

Taken before me, at Wagga Wagga, in the said Colony, the day and year first above mentioned.
[Signed] G Martin, PM.

12

G. 190.

REGINA.
versus
Jimmy Han

Offence,— Assault with intent to commit the abominable crime of buggery

    The accused stands committed to take his trial at the next Court of Circuit Court to be holden at Wagga Wagga, on the 28th day of September 1897. Bail allowed the accused in £ and two sureties in £ each, or one in £

[Signed] G Martin, PM.

JP.

Dated at Police
Office, Wagga Wagga
this eleventh
day of August
AD 1897
4g 416 - 88

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(O. 1, 11 & 12 Vic., Cap. 42.)

Recognizance to give Evidence.

New South Wales, Wagga
TO WIT.                              }

Be it remembered, that on the 11th day of August in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety seven William John Anderson a Sergeant of the Police Force, John Stanley Hunter of Wagga Wagga in the Colony of New South Wales, William Thomas Morris of Wagga Wagga in the said Colony, and John Swansborough of Wagga Wagga in the said Colony, personally came before the undersigned, one of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the Colony of New South Wales and acknowledged themselves to owe Our Sovereign Lady the Queen the sum of

FORTY POUNDS EACH,

of good and lawful money of Great Britain, to be made and levied on their Goods and Chattels, Lands and Tenements, to the use of our said Lady the Queen, her Heirs and Successors, if they the said before mentioned persons shall fail in the condition indorsed.

[Signed] William John Anderson, John Stanley Hunter by John Bishop Hunter, William Thomas Morris, John Swansborough, William Morris.

Taken and acknowledged the day and year first above mentioned, at Wagga Wagga in the said Colony, before me.
[Signed] G Martin, PM.

The condition of the within written Recognizance is such, that whereas Jimmy Han was this day charged before George Martin Esquire one of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the said Colony, with “assaulting William Thomas Morris, with intent to commit the abominable crime of buggery on the 10th day of August 1897.”

If therefore, they the before mentioned persons shall appear at the next chinese Camp to be holden at Wagga Wagga in and for the Colony of New South Wales, on the 28th day of September next, at nine of the clock in the forenoon, and then and there give such evidence as they know, upon an information to be then and there preferred against the said Jimmy Han for the offence aforesaid to the jurors who shall pass upon the trial of the said Jimmy Han.

Then the said Recognizance to be void, or else to stand in full force and virtue.
[Signed] G Martin, PM.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

[On the depositions’ cover sheet is the following]

Circuit Court.
Wagga Wagga
28th September 1897
AG’s No. 152
Depositions.
CS’s No. 5
Regina
v.
Jimmy Han
Assault with intent to commit an unnatural offence
Committed at: Wagga Wagga
on: 11th August 1897

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Aug 10/97 at Wagga
Attempt to commit buggery
[Initialled] C[harles] G[regory] W[ade, Crown Prosecutor]
10/8/97
Approved
[Initialled] J[ohn] H[enry] W[ant, AG]
18/8/97
    2 witnesses caught in the very act.
    Can any other occasion be fixed during the last six months?
Memo to police 21.8.97
Sept 29. 96 [sic–97]
Cohen J, Wagga Wagga, Plea NG, Verdict Guilty. Sentence 2 years imp with hl in Goulburn gaol.
[Initialled] HM Sept 30.97
Memo re interpreter
14.8.97

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Justice HE Cohen’s notebook  5

23

[Wagga Wagga Assizes, 29 September 1897]
September 29/97 – R v Han (Jimmy) – Attempt to commit buggery with William Thomas Morris on August 10/97. (Sec. 60, penal servitude for 5 years)
Manning (WH) for Crown.

  William John Anderson. Sergeant of Police at Wagga. I received information on August 10 & went to chinese camp with Constable Blackburn. The accused was brought to me by Blackburn & a young man named Swansborough with h me. Swansborough pointed to accused & said that’s the man. Accused said I no do it, that little boy came & sat down alongside me. I hadn’t spoken to accused before that. I took him to the lock up – charged him with committing indecent assault upon a male, William Morris. He made no reply. I afterwards went with Swansborough to a pigstye to rear of chinese camp. Under the stye this The stye is compelle concealed by the bank of river, it wouldn’t be easy to see any one under the stye.

  John Stanley Hunter. boy 12 years & 6 months old. I remember August 10/97 – Tuesday. I was on the bank of river about ¼ to ½ past 4 – in front of Gilroy’s. I know accused – they call him “fowls” – he sells them. I saw him go under an old building down the river bank. I saw young Morris that day – he went

24

under the stye with the chinaman. I saw Morris, he went down the same place. I went down to get (one ?) piece of leather & saw chinaman’s head bobbing up & down. I went & said something to Swansborough. He came down, caught hold of the chinaman & told him to stop, pulled him off & Morris ran away & I went away

    To me. I went to Mr Gilroy’s to get a piece of leather, which Mr Gilroy who is a saddler throws on the bank of the river. I was on top of the bank in front of Gilroy’s when I saw the chinaman go under the stye. I was about 200 yards away when I saw him go under. I was about the distance of this Court from him when I saw his head bobbing up & down. He didn’t go very far underneath the stye – it was then at my side. The floor of the stye is supported by logs, it is built on a sloping bank. I think Morris went under the stye about 3 or 5 minutes after the chinaman did,

25

    William Thomas Morris. 13 years old on last March 2. I know accused. I remember remember August 10 last. I saw him about ¼ or ½ past 4 in Fitzmaurice Street in front of Kong Fat’s. He said Holloa 6 & I said Holloa. He went to pigstye and I followed him. He took down his trousers at the pigstye, he started, he pulled out his person & started doing it – started pushing up against me. I was on my hands & knees – he put his person against my behind – for I was he was about 3 minutes doing it. I was on my hands & knees. I did nothing to him. I had on my school clothes. My trousers were down while on my hands & knees – chinaman pulled them down. I said nothing. Jack Swansborough came up & said I’ll tell the policeman on you “fowls”. My trousers were down when Swansborough came. I got up & ran away. Chinaman gave me nothing. I had seen the chinaman on the previous Thursday. I had had money from him – I had none that day. I have known him about 18 months or 2 years. His person did not go into my body.

26

    Cross-examined. I did not pull my trousers down myself and ask accused for a 6d. Af Accused did not sit down, & I did not pull my trousers down & sit beside accused. Accused did not give me 6d. 2 or 3 times before. Accused did not threaten to tell my mother if I came (humbug ?) (you ?). Accused did not tell me not to come any more whenever I went to you.

    John Swansborough. Labourer – Wagga. I know accused as Jimmy Ah Tam or something like that – he has nickname “fowls”. I know Morris. On August 10 about 4.30 I heard something & went to the river & saw accused under pigstye with a boy. The boy was kneeling down under pigstye & the ac his head on top of bank & the accused was kneeling down. The accused took out his penis to the boy – the boy had his clothes down over his knees – & he put it to the boy’s behind. The boy stood, let him put it there – the accused (?) moving. I went up & caught hold of accused and pulled him down. I said you dirty old b----r, I’ll chuck you in the river. He said don’t tell my countrymen, they kill me. I told the boy Hunter to go for a policeman. Morris ran away through the gate. No one came

27

& I let the chinaman go. He gave me 6d. not to say anything. I gave it to Sergeant Anderson. I saw the chinaman’s penis against the boy.

    Cross-examined. I didn’t ask you to give me 1/-. I didn’t take the 6d. out of your pocket. I didn’t knock you down & take your money. You wanted to go home & I wouldn’t let you but when no one came I let him go. I was going to throw in the river.
Crown case closes.

    Jimmy Han (sworn). Accused. That boy, I sit in chinaman pigstye. I see pumpkins, pick pumpkin – that boy come. He know me & say holloa Jimmy, you pick pumpkin, I say yes. He said Jimmy you got money. I say I no (have ?) money. He said you give me 6d. I say what for. He take my trousers & say you too old, you can’t straddle. He put his hand on his own trouser & go on his knee & said to me come come quick. I get up & the little boy come, & the 2 boys laugh & Morris go away. Then the big boy Swansborough come. He say Jimmy what that boy come

28

here for. I say he a bad boy, I give him 6d. Swansborough say don’t you give him 6d. He say give me 1/-. I say I have no money I poor He said you give me 1/-. I said what for. He said you are rude to me. I said no no you go away. He won’t go – he come to me – he knock me down, hit me. I kick him I me lying down. He take my pocket knife & search me. He say where money? I say no money. He hit me. I sing out, 2 or 3 young fellow come. One of them said poor fellow, what for hit chinaman like that. He said I hit him. Then the young fellow go home, pick me up & say go home. Swansborough won’t let me go home. I ran away. He ran behind me, & knock me down again. He take me by arm & leg & want to chuck me in the river. Another young boy say no he caust can’t swim, the water too cold. He said I don’t care for chinaman I kill him. Other young fellow (?) say you mustn’t do that – tell policeman.

    Cross-examined. When I ran away I didn’t go to a house – the policeman find me in a house. I was frightened.

29

I didn’t go home – I went home about 6 o’clock night time – Door not locked. Police came & took me to lock up.
    Accused addresses Jury.
    I sum up.
Jury retire at 11.27 am
  “   return at 11.54
Verdict “Guilty”
Sentence 2 years’ imprisonment with hard labour in Goulburn Gaol.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Wagga Wagga Advertiser, Thu 30 Sep 1897 7

CIRCUIT COURT.
Criminal Sittings.
Tuesday, September 28.
(Before his Honor Mr Justice Cohen).

    Mr WH Manning was Crown Prosecutor, and Mr WH Mant, of the Crown Law Office, was the representative of the Crown Solicitor. The following members of the legal profession were present at the opening of the Court: Messrs Whitfield and White (barristers), G Coleman, WP Crick, MLA., HE Mitchelmore, HO Heath, WS Chauncy, W and GB Fitzhardinge, HM Baylis, WMJ Walsh. Mr G Martin, PM., was Deputy Sheriff, and Inspector Smith, of Wagga, was in attendance.

JURORS FINED.

    James Mitchell, farmer, The Rock, and EWC Bennett, grazier, Uranquinty, were each fined 40s. for being absent when their names on the list of jurors were called.
…

Wednesday, September 29.

UNNATURAL OFFENCE.

    Jimmy Han, a chinaman well advanced in years, was charged with attempting to commit an abominable offence. The evidence of Senior-Sergeant Anderson, John Stanley Hunter (a boy of 12 years), William Thomas Morris (13), John Swansborough, laborer, was taken for the prosecution.

    In defence, the accused gave evidence on his own behalf, denying the accusations made against him. The accused, who spoke pigeon English, was sworn on a Bible. His Honor, in summing up, remarked that the offence was a secondary one as compared to what it might have been. The jury returned a verdict of guilty against the accused, who was remanded for sentence.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Wagga Wagga Express, Thu 30 Sep 1897 8

WAGGA CIRCUIT COURT.
Tuesday, 28th September, 1897.
(Before His Honor Judge Cohen.)

    The September sittings of the Wagga Circuit Court opened this day, MR WH Manning prosecuting on behalf of the Crown. Mr WH Mant, of the Crown Solicitor’s Office was also in attendance.
…

Wednesday, September 29, 1897.

AN ABOMINABLE OFFENCE.

    Jimmy Han, an old and decrepid [sic] chinaman, was charged with having attempted to commit an abominable offence on the male person of William Thomas Morris, a boy of 13, on August 10 last.

    Accused pleaded not guilty.

    Evidence of the arrest of accused and of his identification by a man named Swansborough was given by Sergeant Anderson. John Stanley Hunter, a boy of twelve, deposed to giving information of suspicions which had been aroused to Swansborough; William Thomas Morris deposed to the offence having been attempted; John Swansborough gave evidence of having discovered accused in the act of committing the offence, which he subsequently reported to the police.

    After a short retirement the jury returned a verdict of guilty, and accused was remanded for sentence.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Wagga Wagga Advertiser, Sat 2 Oct 1897 9

CIRCUIT COURT.
Criminal Sittings.
Thursday, September 30.
(Before his Honor Mr Justice Cohen.)

    Mr WH Manning conducted the prosecutions for the Crown.
…

SENTENCES.

    Jimmy Han, an aged chinaman, convicted on Wednesday of committing an indecent assault upon a little boy, was brought up for sentence. His Honor sentenced the prisoner to two years hard labor in Goulburn Gaol.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Wagga Wagga Express, Sat 2 Oct 1897 10

WAGGA CIRCUIT COURT.
Thursday, 30th September, 1897.
(Before His Honor Judge Cohen.)

…

SENTENCES.

…
    Jimmy Han, who was found guilty of an attempted abominable offence on a male person, was sentenced to two years’ hard labour in Goulburn gaol.

 


1     The Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 12 Aug 1897, p. 5.

2     The Wagga Wagga Advertiser, Thu 12 Aug 1897, p. 2.

3     Wagga Wagga Express, Thu 12 Aug 1897, p. 2.

4     SRNSW: NRS880, [9/6951], Supreme Court, Papers and depositions, Wagga Wagga, 1897, No. 152. Emphasis added.

5     SRNSW: NRS5788, [2/2707], Judiciary, HE Cohen, J. Notebooks Circuit Court, 1895-1910, pp. 23-9. Emphasis added.

6     Archaic form of hallo or hello.

7     The Wagga Wagga Advertiser, Thu 30 Sep 1897, p. 2.

8     Wagga Wagga Express, Thu 30 Sep 1897, p. 2.

9     The Wagga Wagga Advertiser, Sat 2 Oct 1897, p. 5.

10   Wagga Wagga Express, Sat 2 Oct 1897, p. 2.