The Lithgow Mercury, Mon 5 Feb 1917 1
LITHGOW POLICE COURT.
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Friday, February 2.
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(Before HL Meads, JP.)
John Higgins was fined £1 10s or 10 days’ imprisonment for having stolen one rug of the value of £1 10s, the property of Abraham Northey.
Edward Russell, charged with having indecently assaulted the previous day, a male person of the age of eight years, was remanded till Tuesday. Bail was allowed, self in £40, and two sureties in £20 each, or one in £40.
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The Lithgow Mercury, Wed 7 Feb 1917 2
LITHGOW POLICE COURT.
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Monday, February 5.
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(Before HL Meads, JP.)
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Tuesday, February 6.
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(Before Mr C Jennings, PM.)
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COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.
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Edward Russell, charged in the Children’s Court with having, it was alleged, indecently assaulted a boy on February 1, was committed to take his trial at the Parramatta Quarter Sessions next Monday.
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The Bathurst Times, Thu 8 Feb 1917 3
LOCAL AND GENERAL
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BIG LITHGOW COURT.
Mr C Jennings, PM, had a heavy day at the Lithgow Police Court on Tuesday. Among the batch of cases dealt with was one in which the accused was committed for trial.
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The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate, Wed 14 Feb 1917 4
THE JUDGE’S JOKE.
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A SESSIONS INSTANCE.
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Judge Rogers has ever been fond of airing a joke in court. He unintentionally aired one in the Parramatta Courthouse on Monday at the Quarter Sessions when the jury list was being called over.
One juryman, Mr J Overton, said that he was over-age, and had never been on the jury before. He was neglecting his work in the city, too; otherwise he would not mind serving.
His Honor: You say you would not mind?
The juryman: Oh, I wouldn’t mind it, your Honor.
His Honor: Well, you had better come on and assist with the work. (Laughter.)
His Honor explained that all persons on the list over-age and who desired exemption should apply to the magistrate’s court, which sat annually.
His Honor’s advice may be very good; but what is the use of it when the public doesn’t know when the annual meeting of magistrates takes place? In fact, the public doesn’t know that such a meeting is ever held. Even “The Argus,” which has been haunting the courts for a generation, has never heard of such a thing officially. As to the exemptions, we do know that men have been called out of private employment—some in responsible positions—while hundreds of eligible men with no responsibility and little to do apparently are left off. We for one certainly would like to know when this alleged annual meeting of magistrates takes place. There are enough interruptions and vexations in business through the war without the burden being made harder by the want to ordinary intelligence in drawing up the jury list.
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The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate, Wed 21 Feb 1917 5
PARRAMATTA QUARTER SESSIONS.
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Monday, February 12.
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(Before Judge Rogers.)
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ACQUITTED.
William [aka Edward] Russell (a middle-aged man) was charged with having assaulted a lad, [Phillip Hansen], about four years of age at Lithgow on February 1. Two witnesses, young men, swore that they saw the accused man with the child in Eskbank railway yard under certain very peculiar circumstances. The arresting constable said that when arrested the accused Russell made a statement, virtually an admission of guilt. The accused in the box stated that he was doing no harm to the child when the two young men passed him in the Eskbank railway yard; and he said something at the time of his arrest quite different to that which the constable giving evidence in the case had stated in Court that he said.
The jury, after a short retirement, found the accused Russell not guilty.
1 The Lithgow Mercury, Mon 5 Feb 1917, p. 2. Emphasis added.
2 The Lithgow Mercury, Wed 7 Feb 1917, p. 2.
3 The Bathurst Times, Thu 8 Feb 1917, p. 2.
4 The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate (Parramatta), Wed 14 Feb 1917, p. 1. Emphasis added.
5 The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate (Parramatta), Wed 21 Feb 1917, p. 3.