The Newcastle Sun, Sat 3 Jul 1920 ¹

TWO IN A WEEK
———◦———

    During the week two men were committed for trial on a charge of attempting to commit an unnatural offence. This morning two other men faced the magistrate on a similar charge. Harry Nightingale (24), seaman, and John Frederick White (45), seaman, were charged, and remanded till next week. The offence is alleged to have taken place at the Sailors’ Home.

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Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Mon 5 Jul 1920 ²

NEWCASTLE POLICE COURT.
——–▴—•—▴——–
Saturday, July 3.
———
(Before Mr W Le Brun Brown, SM.)

…

REMANDED.

    Harry Nightingale [aka Nightengale] (24) and John Frederick White (45), seamen, for an alleged serious offence, were remanded until Wednesday.

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Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Thu 8 Jul 1920 ³

NEWCASTLE POLICE COURT.
——–▴—•—▴——–
Wednesday, July 7.
———
(Before Mr W Le Brun Brown, SM.)

…

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

    Harry Nightingale (24), seaman, and John Frederick White (45), seaman, were each charged with a serious offence at Newcastle on July 2. They were committed for trial at the Newcastle Quarter Sessions on August 31.

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The Newcastle Sun, Wed 1 Sep 1920 ⁴

SAILORS’ HOME OFFENCE
———◦———
ACCUSED FOUND GUILTY
————
REMANDED FOR SENTENCE
————

    John Frederick White was charged at the Newcastle Quarter Sessions to-day with having committed an unnatural offence in Newcastle on July 21. Harry Nightingale was charged with having consented to the offence. Alternative charges were preferred against White, of indecent assault on Nightingale, and against Nightingale of aiding and abetting the assault.

    Both men pleaded not guilty, and conducted their ow defence.

    Plainclothes Constable Munday stated that the offence took place in the Sailor’s Home on July 2. White offered witness money to allow him to go.

    Dr John Harris said that he examined both men. Nightingale appeared to have been the subject of an operation.

    Oswald Frank Healey, superintendent of the Sailors’ Home, Newcastle, said that on July 2 White had a room in the home. He went into the room in the afternoon and saw both accused there.

    White denied almost all the evidence given by Constable Munday. Nightingale said that he did not remember anything about the offence. He had been drinking.

    The jury returned a verdict of guilty against White and Nightingale on the first count. They recommended that they be dealt with leniently on account of their previous good character, especially in the case of Nightingale.

    Accused were remanded for sentence.

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Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Thu 2 Sep 1920 ⁵

NEWCASTLE QUARTER SESSIONS.
——–▴—•—▴——–
Wednesday, September 1.
———
(Before his Honor Acting Judge Mocatta, Mr AF Dawson, Crown Prosecutor.)

…

THREE CONVICTIONS.

    John Frederick White and Harry Nightingale, who were unrepresented, pleaded not guilty to an indictment of two counts, concerning a serious offence alleged to have been committed at Newcastle on July 2. Evidence for the prosecution was given by Constable [Robert William] Munday, Dr Harris and Oswald Healey, superintendent of the sailors’ home. The jury returned after an absence of three hours with a verdict of guilty against each accused on the first and most serious count. A recommendation was added that leniency be extended, on account of the previous good character of the accused, especially in the case of Nightingale. His Honor thanked the jury for strengthening his hands in his proposed treatment of the accused, and remanded them for sentence.

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The Newcastle Sun, Thu 2 Sep 1920 ⁶

SENT TO GAOL
———◦———
SERIOUS OFFENCE IN CITY
————

    Acting-Judge Mocatta, at the Newcastle Quarter Sessions this morning, sentenced John Frederick White and Harry Nightingale, who were found guilty yesterday afternoon of having committed an unnatural offence in the Sailor’s Home, Newcastle, on July 2.

    “You are the older man, and it is a pity to see you in this position,” said his Honor to the accused White. “I believe the offence would not have been perpetrated unless, you, at any rate, had some liquor in you. The jury has taken a merciful view, and although the offence is a serious one, I think the circumstances are such that I can deal with you leniently. The sentence is that you be imprisoned with hard labor for twelve months.”

    White: I was committed on July 2, your Honor, could not my sentence start from then.

    His Honor: I will make it to run on from August 1. Nightingale! To some extent it seems that you have been influenced by the elder man. You are sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment.

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Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Fri 3 Sep 1920 7

NEWCASTLE QUARTER SESSIONS.
——–▴—•—▴——–
Thursday, September 2.
———
(Before his Honor Acting Judge Mocatta, Mr AF Dawson, Crown Prosecutor.)
———

SENTENCES

    John Frederick White and Harry Nightingale, who were found guilty on the previous day of having committed a serious offence at Newcastle on July 2, were called up for sentence. White was sentenced to twelve months, and Nightingale to eight months’ imprisonment.

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John Frederick White, Gaol photo sheet ⁸

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Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details

No. 17402

Date when Portrait was taken: 16-9-1920

Name: John Frederick White
(aka Patrick Doyle, John White)

Native place: Montreal Canada Year of birth: 24-6-1875 Arrived       Ship: St Merrin in Colony }   Year: 1913 Trade or occupation previous to conviction  } Seaman Religion: RC Education, degree of: R & W Height: 5' 10" Weight     On committal: 151 in lbs     } On discharge: Colour of hair: Dark brown Colour of eyes: Blue

Marks or special features: Star on back of left wrist ship crossed flags third two shields & wreath & anchor on right forearm. Phoenix on right wrist man & woman on front edge right lower arm, scars on back left hand, and on point of chin.

(No. of previous Portrait ... )  CONVICTIONS
Where and When				Offence.	Sentence
Newcastle PC ditto ditto ditto Newcastle Q.S.	3   3 11   7   1	12 12   3   8   9	1913 1913 1914 1917 1920	Indecent language Assault Constable Drunk & disorderly Assault Sodomy	£2 or 21 days HL £5 or 2 months HL  |  Concurrent 40/- or 21 days HL £2 or 14 days HL 12 months HL. To date from 1/8/1920

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Harry Nightingale, Gaol photo sheet ⁹

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Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details

No. 17404

Date when Portrait was taken: 16-9-1920

Name: Harry Nightingale

Native place: England Year of birth: 5-4-1896 Arrived       Ship: Weitwo in Colony }   Year: 1920 Trade or occupation previous to conviction  } Seaman Religion: Methodist Education, degree of: R & W Height: 5' 3" Weight     On committal: 126 in lbs     } On discharge: Colour of hair: Light brown Colour of eyes: Grey

Marks or special features: Anchor and flag on left forearm. Large scar on back left forearm.

(No. of previous Portrait ... )  CONVICTIONS
Where and When				Offence.	Sentence
Newcastle Q.S. Newcastle Q.S.	17   1	6 9	1920 1920	Indecent language Sodomy	£2. 1. 0 or 14 days HL 8 months HL. To date from 1/8/1920

 

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¹     The Newcastle Sun, (NSW), Sat 3 Jul 1920, p. 3.

²     Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Mon 5 Jul 1920, p. 2.

³     Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Thu 8 Jul 1920, p. 7.

⁴     The Newcastle Sun, (NSW), Wed 1 Sep 1920, p. 5.

⁵     Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Thu 2 Sep 1920, p. 7. Emphasis added.

⁶     The Newcastle Sun, (NSW), Thu 2 Sep 1920, p. 5. Emphasis added.

⁷     Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Fri 3 Sep 1920, p. 7.

⁸     SRNSW: NRS2467, [3/6104], State Penitentiary photographic description book, 5 Jun 1920-9 Oct 1920, No. 17402, p. –.

⁹     SRNSW: NRS2467, [3/6104], State Penitentiary photographic description book, 5 Jun 1920-9 Oct 1920, No. 17404, p. –.

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