Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Wednesday 24 November 1886, page 6


THE WATERLOO OUTRAGE.

TRIAL OF THE PRISONERS.

At the Central Criminal Court yesterday, before his Honor Mr. Justice Windeyer, the trial of the prisoners concerned in the Waterloo outrage was continued. William Hill George Duffy, William Newman, Michael Donnellan Thomas Oscroft, Joseph Martin, William Boyce, Hugh Miller, Robert George Read, George Keegan, and Michael Mangan were charged for that they did, on the 9th of September, at Waterloo, ravish and carnally know Mary Jane Hicks against her consent.

Mr. Teece, with him Mr. Pring, instructed by Mr. Wil-liams, Crown Solicitor, appeared for the prosecution.

Messrs. Ellis and Scholes, instructed by Mr. Gannon ap-peared for Oscroft, Martin, Miller, Keegan, and Newman; Mr. Gibson, instructed by Mr. Gannon, appeared for Hill and Mangan; Mr. O'Mara, instructed by Mr. H. Levien for Read; Mr. Moriarty, instructed by Mr. M. William-son (Williamson and Williamson), for Boyce; Mr. Cana-way for Duffy, and Mr. Edmunds for Donnellan, both instructed by Mr. Williamson.

The complainant, Mary Jane Hicks, was the next witness who was called, and she was examined at considerable length by the Crown prosecutor, Mr. Teece. The witness's evidence was a repetition of that given by her at the Police Court, which has already been published in our columns. She detailed the circumstances under which she was out-raged, and gave very direct evidence regarding the identi-fication of the prisoners Duffy, Newman, Donnellan and Mangan. She asserted that she was assaulted by Boyce, Miller, Martin and Keegan, and also by Duffy Newman, and Donnellan, after which she became uncon-scious; the other prisoners were present at the time together with others who had not been apprehended.

The witness was cross-examined at considerable length but her testimony was not shaken.

Robert Horn, a youth employed at Messrs. Dyson Brothers' jam factory, gave evidence to the effect that on the day of the outrage he saw the cabman in Bourke-street, who asked him whether he belonged to "that push over there," meaning thereby those of the prisoners who had taken the complainant into the bush from the cab; witness replied "No," whereupon the cabman stated that he would go and give information to the police; witness then left the cabman and went into the bush to see what had become of the girl; he afterwards saw the complainant in the com-pany of some of the prisoners; he saw her thrown down, and afterwards saw her trying to run away from them.

Thomas Geddes, sub-overseer of the wool-washing establishment at Rosevale, gave evidence to the effect that he knew the prisoners Martin, Oscroft, Donnellan, Duffy, Hill, Boyce, and Miller; he could not say that he had often seen any of them together; he had frequently seen them in

the locality.

The evidence of Constable Begg, Senior-sergeant Robinson, and Dr. Marsden, showing what condition the complainant was in after the outrage was committed, was

taken.

John Walter Longford, warder in Darlinghurst gaol, was called as a witness, and read a statement which was made by the prisoner Duffy to the governor of the gaol, on the 19th instant. The statement was to the effect that himself (Duffy), Fuller, Martin, and Boyce criminally assaulted the complainant, but that she was a consenting

party.

Albert Colley, a boy employed at Cook's Stables, Eliza-beth-street, gave evidence to the effect that on the 9th September he was out in a swamp, with a boy named Peter Kane, cutting wood; he heard a girl screaming, and shortly afterwards saw the prisoner Hill leading the complainant through the bush; Duffy and two others shortly afterwards appeared, and Duffy threw the complainant down; witness then gave evidence respecting an assault which he saw

committed.

In cross-examination the witness would not give positive evidence regarding the identification of the prisoner Hill.

Corroborative evidence was given by the boy Peter Kane. William Brown, a youth, residing at Waterloo, gave evidence to the effect that on the day on which the outrage was committed he was passing through the locality in which it took place; he heard a girl screaming, and went in the direction from which the screams appeared to come, and subsequently saw the com-plainant in the company of two men, and being followed by a number of others, including the prisoners Hill, Duffy, Boyce, and Donnellan, and two others named Wenman and

O'Connor.

The Court adjourned at half-past 11 o'clock until 9 o'clock this morning.