The Wagga Wagga Advertiser, Tue 13 Jun 1882 1
WAGGA WAGGA QUARTER SESSIONS.
MONDAY, JUNE 12.
(Before his Honor Judge Forbes.)
The court was opened precisely at 10 am. Mr Pitcairn prosecuted on behalf of the Crown. The Bar was represented by Mr D Buchanan. Solicitors present– Messrs Fitzhardinge, Garland, Coleman, Williams, Thompson, and Anderson.
…
BESTIALITY.
Louis Lucas was arraigned on a charge of committing an unnatural offence upon a slut, at Narrandera, on the 19th May.
The prisoner was undefended, and pleaded not guilty.
Mounted constable WT Piggott, stationed at Narrandera, deposed that on the 19th May he, in company with constable Nelson, arrested the prisoner at his shop; prisoner denied the charge, and told the constable that he was very foolish; he would not hurt anyone.
Constable Nelson gave corroborative evidence.
Thomas Mulholland deposed that on the 19th of May he was working at Mr Foley’s hotel, and had occasion to go into the stable, where he saw the accused committing the offence complained of.
Timothy Foley, a publican, living in Narrandera, deposed that he did not know of any ill-feeling between the prosecutor and prisoner.
The prisoner [Louis Lucas] addressed the jury for the defence, but was not understood, owing to his broken English.
His Honor summed up unfavourably to the prisoner.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and the prisoner was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in Darlinghurst Gaol.
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The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, Thu 15 Jun 1882 2
WAGGA WAGGA.
…
Tuesday.
(Herald.)—Sixty points of rain fell last night, and it is still continuing steadily.
(Evening News.)—At the Wagga Court of Quarter Sessions, yesterday, Louisa Johnson pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing from a dwelling, and was sentenced to three months imprisonment in Albury gaol. Charles Delarue pleaded guilty to forgery and uttering, and was awarded two years in Darlinghurst gaol. Thomas Nash pleaded guilty to a charge of false pretences, and was sent for six months to Albury gaol. John Wall and John Martin were charged with burglary; Wall pleaded guilty, and said Martin had nothing to do with it; the information against Martin was withdrawn and he was discharged; Wall was sentenced to 12 months’ incarceration in Darlinghurst. William Robert Hannan, John Toohey, and George Merrilies were acquitted on a charge of assault and robbery. The case for the Crown broke down owing to the conduct of the prosecutor, whose testimony was directly opposed to that given by him in the police court. The Crown Prosecutor had prisoner remanded to next court on a charge of larceny and receiving, believing that prosecutor had been tampered with by friends of the prisoner. Mr Buchanan, instructed by George Coleman, defended prisoner Hannan, and in the course of the trial indulged in grossly personal abuse of Mr Pitcairn, the Crown Prosecutor. James Campbell pleaded guilty to a charge of horse stealing, and was sentenced to two years and a half in Darlinghurst Gaol. Louis Lucas was found guilty of attempted beastiality, [sic] and was sent for two years’ imprisonment to Darlinghurst Gaol. Alexander Cameron was found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm, and was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment. William Birch was found guilty of horse stealing, and was awarded nine months’ imprisonment.
1 The Wagga Wagga Advertiser, Tue 13 Jun 1882, p. 2. Emphasis added.
2 The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, Thu 15 Jun 1882, p. 3. Emphasis added.