The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, Fri 7 Nov 1902 ¹

DISTRICT NEWS.
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To Correspondents.
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    (Letters, from regular country correspondents should reach this office on Wednesday, or their insertion in the current week’s issue cannot be guaranteed.)

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NARANDERA.
(From Our Own Correspondent.)

    The Narandera Quarter Sessions opened on Saturday last before Mr Acting-Judge Armstrong.
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    John Williams, alias Ferguson. Committed from Berrigan on 24th October, charged with attempting to commit an unnatural offence at Berrigan on October 16th, was found guilty and sentenced to 12 months’ hard labour.

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Narandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser, Fri 7 Nov 1902 ²

NARANDERA QUARTER SESSIONS.
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Friday, 31st October.
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(Before Mr Acting-Justice Armstrong)
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    The Quarter Sessions opened in the Court House last Friday morning before Mr Acting-Judge Armstrong. Mr Geo Beeby, sat as Deputy-Sheriff; Mr Bevan was Crown Prosecutor; and the bar was represented by Mr JF Willans, Mr JJ Quirk, and Mr ECH Matthews (Narandera); Mr Robertson (Hay); and Mr Higgins (Wagga).
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UNNATURAL OFFENCE.

    John Williams, alias [John] Ferguson, ages 36, was charged with committing an indecent offence ubon [sic] a male person, [George Trend], at Berrigan on October 16.

    The accused was undefended.

    The evidence of the police at Berrigan was to the effect that the accused was placed in a cell at the Berrigan Barracks. Afterwards a helplessly drunken man was placed in the same cell. Upon hearing a noise in the cell the police entered and found accused acting indecently towards the other inmate.

    The jury brought in a verdict of guilty, and the accused was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment in the Young gaol.
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BREVITIES.
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    Attention is directed to Mr T Gasses’s cool drinks advt in this issue.

    A further list of war honors confers the Distinguished Service Order upon Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon Rupert Carington; and the Companionship of the Bath upon Col HB Lassetter.

    Mr Warden Harry Graves, junr, of well-known firm of WH Graves and Son, dies in Mittagong this week after a long illness.

    An Improvement Lease of 489½ acres situated on Mumbledool resumed area, parish of Bolaro, is to be offered at auction at Narandera Lands Office at noon on Nov 21. Ths [sic] upset rental is £5 14s 10d and the survey fee £1 9s. The term of the lease is 28 years.

    Homestead selections No. 487, parish of Gillenbah 113½ acres: No. 658, Boblegigbie, 640 acres; and No. 740, Bourke, 502 acres are gazetted as forfeited, becoming again available for selection on Nov 20.

    The Christmas supplement of the “Town and Country Journal” is to hand. This year it consists of a colored plate of New Zealand wild flowers.

    Mr Eugene Drury, of Hay Music dêpot, notifies that he will visit here on the 14th inst to enroll pupils for the violin, guitar and mandolin.

    The annual meeting of Justices for the granting of Auctioneers’ licenses at Narandera is fixed for Tuesday, November 25 at 11.30 am.

    Another great batch of Honorary Magistrates—600 in the list issued last Friday.

    Local appointments—RJ Austin, Browley; JA Culley, Tubbo; John W Cassidy, Coolamon; NV Devlin, Ganmain; Geo Gow, Mumbledool; Thos Peadon, Broken Dam.

    On Wednesday night of last week a flock of Buckingbong ewes were in the local trucking yards awaiting deportation. During the night a number of mongrels got into the yard and raided the flock, and before the men in charge got to the scene 51 valuable ewes were killed.

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John Williams, Gaol photo sheet ³

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Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details

No. 86 Young
84 1902 Young

Date when Portrait was taken: 6 Nov 1902

Name: John Williams
(aka John Ferguson)

Native place: Victoria Year of birth: 1866 Arrived       Ship: in Colony }   Year: Trade or occupation previous to conviction  } Labourer Religion: R. C. Education, degree of: R & W Height: 5' 11" Weight     On committal: 156 in lbs     } On discharge: Colour of hair: Brown Colour of eyes: Blue

Marks or special features: Small lump behind left ear small scar left side neck little fingers (both) drawn up

(No. of previous Portrait ... )  CONVICTIONS
Where and When				Offence.	Sentence
Berrigan PC  Narrandera Q.S	17 31	10 10	1902 1902	Obscene Language Indecent assault male person	20/- or 14 days 12 months HL

 

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¹     The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, Fri 7 Nov 1902, p. 16.

²     Narandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser, (NSW), Fri 7 Nov 1902, p. 3. The newspaper title is consistently—between 1902 and 1925, the period included in these documents—named ‘Narandera’ and not ‘Narrandera’ as it currently is spelled.

³     SRNSW: NRS2605, [3/6000] , Young Gaol photographic description book, 1894-1920, No. 86, p. 86.

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