Henry Goldstaff, 1888
Below also see: Harold Peterson, 1897

The Argus, Thu 26 Jul 1888 ¹

CHARGES OF ROBBERY FROM
DWELLINGS.
———◦———

    At the South Melbourne Police Court on Wednesday, before Mr Stead, JP, and a bench of magistrates, Henry Goldstaff, [aka Harold Peterson] a young man, who, some weeks ago, was committed for trial at the same court for burglary and stealing, was charged with breaking into the dwelling house of Alexander McArthur, storeman, living in Stead-street, South Melbourne, and stealing two silver watches, an albert chain, a ring, and a quantity of other jewellery, valued at £30. The accused, who reserved his defence, was committed for trial.

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The Argus, Fri 3 Aug 1888 ²

MELBOURNE GENERAL
SESSIONS.
———◦———
Thursday, Aug 2.
(Before His Honour Judge Molesworth.)

    Mr R Walsh prosecuted for the Crown.
…

HOUSEBREAKING AND STEALING.

    Harry Goldstaff, a young man, was charged with breaking into the house of Alexander McArthur at the corner of Napier and Stead streets, South Melbourne, and stealing two watches and some jewellery of the value of about £30.

    Mr Fisher defended the prisoner.

    The house of the prosecutor was broken into on the 3rd April last, during the absence of himself and his wife, and the property mentioned was stolen from it. The prisoner, on the day of the robbery, pawned a chain and locket which was part of the stolen property in Clarence-street, South Melbourne, and a man like him in appearance pawned a watch and chain at another shop in the same street on the same day. The prisoner also gave a woman in South Melbourne an earring which was afterwards ascertained to be part of the stolen property.

    The case was not concluded when the Court adjourned until this morning.

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The Argus, Sat 4 Aug 1888 ³

SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1888.
———◦———

…
    The sittings of the Melbourne General Sessions were continued yesterday before his Honour Judge Molesworth, Mr R Walsh prosecuting for the Crown. The trial of Harry [aka Henry] Goldstaff on a charge of stealing property from a dwelling, which was commenced on the previous day, was continued, and the prisoner was convicted and sentenced to two years’ hard labour.

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Camperdown Chronicle, Sat 4 Aug 1888 ⁴

LATEST COLONIAL
INTELLIGENCE.
———◦———
(Telegram From Our Correspondent.)
————

Melbourne, Friday Night

…
    A young man named Goldstaff was convicted of stealing jewellery to-day from a man named Roberts. He first sold some to Roberts, and invited him to his home. He then slipped out and stole from Roberts’ home what he had sold along with others. He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.

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The Argus, Mon 6 Aug 1888 ⁵

    The Melbourne General Sessions were continued on Saturday before His Honour Judge Molesworth, Mr R Walsh prosecuting for the Crown. The trial of Harry Goldstaff, a man about thirty years of age, on a charge of burglary and stealing £35 worth of jewellery from the shop of EH Woods, in Moray-street, South Melbourne, which was commenced on the previous afternoon, was concluded. The jury return a verdict of feloniously receiving the googs which had been stolen, and the prisoner was sentenced to six months’ hard labour, to be cumulative on another sentence of two years’ hard labour which he had previously received at the present sessions for housebreaking and stealing. The Court then adjourned until this morning.

 

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Harold Peterson, 1897

The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, Fri 22 Jan 1897 ⁶

NOTES ON CURRENT EVENTS.
————

…
    A GRAVE OFFENCE.—At the police court on Friday, Harold Peterson and Ernest Jacobi were charged with a very serious offence. Mr Tietyens appeared for the prisoner Jacobi, who was discharged. Peterson was committed for trial.

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The Albury Daily News and Wodonga Chronicle, Thu 28 Jan 1897 ⁷

ALBURY QUARTER SESSIONS.
———•———
YESTERDAY.
Before His Honor Judge Merewether.
Crown Prosecutor: Mr E Lamb.
———
CRIMINAL CASES.

…

ALLEGED SODOMY.

    Harold Peterson pleaded not guilty to the charge of committing the offence mentioned against Ernest Jacobi [aka Ernest Jakobi] on Dec 12 in Smollett-street, Albury, and on a second count with indecently assaulting Jacobi. Accused was undefended.
    The jury were—Messrs S Muller, A Scholtz, WK Smith, O Hore, WNM Edmondfon, G Adams, junr, RA Potts, W Jackson, J Quirk, W Waterfield, T Ryan and L Buckley.
    After hearing the evidence, the jury brought in a verdict of guilty on the second count, indecent assault.
    Peterson was remanded for sentence.

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The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, Fri 29 Jan 1897 ⁸

ALBURY QUARTER SESSIONS.
———✦———
Wednesday, January 27.
(Before Mr Acting-Judge Merewether.)

    This court was opened on Wednesday at the usual hour, Mr E Lamb holding the briefs for the Crown.
…

A SERIOUS CHARGE.

    Harold Petersen [aka Peterson] pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with a very grave offence.
    The jury, after retiring for a few minutes, found prisoner guilty on a minor count of the indictment, and was remanded for sentence.

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The Albury Border Post and Wodonga Advertiser, Fri 29 Jan 1897 ⁹

ALBURY QUARTER SESSIONS.
Wednesday, January 27.
(Before his Honor Judge Merewether and juries of twelve.)

    Crown Prosecutor: Mr E Lamb.
…

Thursday, January 28.

…

AN UNNATURAL OFFENCE.

    Harold Peterson, alias Harry Goldstaff, was arraigned on a charge of attempting to commit an unnatural offence.
    The accused, who was undefended, pleaded not guilty.
    The alleged offence was committed in company with a man named Jackobi, [sic] at the rear of Reis’ wine cellars in Smollett-street.
    In cross-examination by the Crown prosecutor,
the accused admitted that he had been convicted in Melbourne of receiving stolen property, and had served a sentence of two years imprisonment. He had been in other trouble. When he got out of gaol he changed his name to Harold Peterson.
    The jury, after a short retirement, returned a verdict of guilty of indecent assault.
    The accused was remanded for sentence.

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The Albury Daily News and Wodonga Chronicle, Sat 30 Jan 1897 ¹⁰

ALBURY QUARTER SESSIONS.
———•———
SENTENCES.
———

    Harold Peterson, convicted on the previous day of an indecent assault upon Ernest Jacobi, was brought up yesterday for sentence. The order of the court was that Peterson be kept at hard labor for a period of three years.

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The Albury Border Post and Wodonga Advertiser, Tue 2 Feb 1897 ¹¹

ALBURY QUARTER SESSIONS.
Friday, January 29.
(Before His Honor Judge Merewether.)

SENTENCES.

    Harold Peterson, alias Harry Goldstaff, who was found guilty of attempting to commit an unnatural offence, was brought up for sentence.
    His Honor sentenced the accused to three years’ imprisonment.

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The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, Fri 5 Feb 1897 ¹²

ALBURY QUARTER SESSIONS.
———✦———
(Before Mr Acting-Judge Merewether.)

SENTENCES.

    The following prisoners were brought up for sentence:–
    Harold Petersen was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, with hard labor.

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Yackandandah Times, Fri 5 Feb 1897 ¹³

    At the Albury General Sessions last Saturday Judge Meredith presiding, Harold Peterson alias Harry Goldstaff, who was found guilty of an attempt to commit an unnatural offence, was sentenced to three years’ hard labor. Two previous convictions were proved against the accused.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Harold Peterson, Gaol photo sheet ¹⁴ 

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Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details

No. 1133
Goulburn

Date when Portrait was taken: 19 March 1897

Name: Harold Peterson
(aka Henry Goldstaff)

Native place: Germany Year of birth: 1859 Arrived       Ship: in Colony }   Year: BC [sic] Trade or occupation previous to conviction  } Blacksmith Religion: Lutheran Education, degree of: R&W Height: 5' 7½" Weight     On committal: in lbs     } On discharge: Colour of hair: Brown Colour of eyes: Blue

Marks or special features: Nose crooked and turned to left H.P.G. on left arm. Points of 1st and 2nd fingers left hand injured. Scar corner right eye. Scar over right eyebrow. Large scar back of right hand & 2 scars right thigh. Scar back left thigh

(No. of previous Portrait ... )  CONVICTIONS
Where and When				Offence.	Sentence
* Melbourne GS * ditto ditto Albury Q.S	27 27 27 28	11 11 11   1	1888 1888 1888 1897	Stealing in a dwelling Feloniously receiving Larceny Indecent assault on a male	2 yrs H.L. 6 mths H.L.  | Accumulative 6 months imprisonment 3 years H.L.
* According to newspaper reports these trials took place on 3rd and 4th of Aug 1888 and not 27th Nov as stated on the gaol photographic description sheet

 

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¹     The Argus, Thu 26 Jul 1888, p. 5.

²     The Argus, Fri 3 Aug 1888, p. 4.

³     The Argus, Sat 4 Aug 1888, p. 11.

⁴     Camperdown Chronicle, (Vic), Sat 4 Aug 1888, p. 2.

⁵     The Argus, Mon 6 Aug 1888, p. 7.

⁶     The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, Fri 22 Jan 1897, p. 22.

⁷     The Albury Daily News and Wodonga Chronicle, Thu 28 Jan 1897, p. 2.

⁸     The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, Fri 29 Jan 1897, p. 37.

⁹     The Albury Border Post and Wodonga Advertiser, Fri 29 Jan 1897, p. 9.

¹⁰   The Albury Daily News and Wodonga Chronicle, Sat 30 Jan 1897, p. 2.

¹¹   The Albury Border Post and Wodonga Advertiser, Tue 2 Feb 1897, p. 5.

¹²   The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, Fri 5 Feb 1897, p. 9.

¹³   The Yackandandah Times, (Vic), Fri 5 Feb 1897, p. 3.

¹⁴   SRNSW: NRS2232, [3/5972], Goulburn Gaol photographic description book, 17 Dec 1896- 28 Jun 1899, No. 1133, p. 23, R5120.

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