Below also see: William Barton, 1916,
William Edward Barton, 1923
Narandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser, Fri 1 Mar 1912 1
POLICE COURT.
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Friday, 23rd February.
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(Before Mr SJ Hamblin, JP.)
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William Edward Barton, charged with a serious offence against a child, was remanded until Tuesday.
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Tuesday, February 27th.
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(Before Mr G Stevenson, PM.)
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Wednesday, 28th February.
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(Before Mr G Stevenson, PM.)
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William [Edward] Barton, on remand, was charged with indecently assaulting a boy of 5 years and ten months.
The evidence was of a disgusting nature, and the accused made a statement in reply; but the PM considered a prima facie case had been made out, and committed the accused for trial at the Narandera Quarter Sessions to be held on Wednesday next.
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Narandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser, Fri 8 Mar 1912 2
QUARTER SESSIONS.
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Wednesday, March 6th, 1912.
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(Before His Honor Judge Rogers).
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John Clark was fined for non-attendance as a juryman.
Thomas Davis was excused on the ground of ill-health; Dan Lucy, owing to other heads of departments in the Brewery being also summoned on the jury; William Hubble, owing to his absence in South Australia; TW Simpson, for ill-health; and EA Silver, owing to removal from the district.
The fine of Joseph White, who had been delayed by a breakdown on his way to the Court, was remitted.
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INDECENT ASSAULT.
William [Edward] Barton was charged by that name on 21st feloniously at Narandera he did indecently assault Willis Bullard, a male person of the age of 6 years.
Accused pleaded not guilty.
Mr Mason prosecuted for the Crown; and Mr Matthews was assigned by the Crown to defend the accused.
The Crown case was that accused, on the date mentioned in the indictment, was at Bullard’s house, near the brickyards. Accused was fooling with the children, and Mrs Bullard endeavoured to induce the youngsters to leave him. After a time accused induced the two boys to go up town, with the promise of buying them some lollies. The evidence of the children was that accused sent one of them ahead and when alone with the other, committed the offence of sodomy. The condition of the child on his return home excited the suspicions of the mother. The boy was questioned, and in consequence of what he told his parents, the police were informed and the arrest of the accused followed.
At the conclusion of the Crown case, Mr Matthews asked His Honor to say that there was no case to go to the jury.
After argument upon the question of the admissability [sic] of the evidence of children. His Honor said he would allow the case to go to the jury; reserving for his direction to them, his view of the legal bearings on the point.
The foreman of the jury said the jury wished to understand why, if the child was taken by the police for medical examination, evidence was not offered in regard to the result of the examination.
His Honor said that view very naturally suggested itself. Probably the Crown were actuated by economy or some other consideration. The evidence was not material, however, as the charge was one of indecent assault. Had the more serious charged been filed, the medical testimony would have been essential; but an indecent assault was an indecent act of any kind against the person.
The accused gave evidence to the effect that he accompanied the boys to the viaduct. He gave one of them sixpence to buy lollies, and that one went to the lollyshop and the other he sent back home. He denied any improper act towards the boys. He did not remember what the constable said to him; he was muddled with drink.
In his address Mr Matthews contended that the Crown evidence was not sufficiently reliable to justify a conviction. He asked the jury not to believe that the offence could be committed within 40 yards of a main street and in the vicinity of several dwellings.
His Honor reviewed the evidence and the jury retired, returning in about twenty minutes with a unanimous verdict of guilty.
The accused was sentenced to five years’ penal servitude with hard labor in Goulburn gaol.
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Wagga Wagga Express, Sat 9 Mar 1912 3
NARANDERA.
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(From our own Correspondent).
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The Quarter Sessions opened on Wednesday bofeore [sic] His Honor Judge Rogers, Mr Mason prosecuted for the Crown.
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William Barton, was charged that he did indecently assault a boy, six years of age, at Narandera on 23rd February. Accused pleaded not guilty, but the jury returned a verdict of guilty, and Barton was sentenced to five years’ penal servitude with hard labour in Goulburn gaol.
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The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, Fri 15 Mar 1912 4
NARANDERA.
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(From Our Own Correspondent.)
The quarter sessions opened on Wednesday before his Honor Judge Rogers.
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William Barton was charged that he did on 21st February, at Narandera, indecently assault a boy six years of age. Accused pleaded not guilty, but the jury returned a verdict of guilty. His Honor sentenced Barton to five years’ penal servitude, with hard labor, in Goulburn Gaol.
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William Barton, Gaol photo sheet 5
![SRNSW: NRS2138, [3/6078], Darlinghurst Gaol photographic description book, 1911-1912, No. 12244, p. 208, R5115.](../../images/trials/1912-Barton-6078-gaol-photo-12244-William-E-Barton.jpg "SRNSW: NRS2138, [3/6078], Darlinghurst Gaol photographic description book, 1911-1912, No. 12244, p. 208, R5115.") |
Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details
No. 12244
Date when Portrait was taken: 14th March 1912
Name: William Barton
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Native place: Echuca Vic Year of birth: 1876 Arrived Ship: BS Trade or occupation Religion: C. Of. E. Education, degree of: R&W Height: 5' 7¾" Weight On committal: 148 Colour of hair: Brown Colour of eyes: Brown |
Marks or special features: Nose (injured ?). Four vaccine marks on right upper arm. White spot on nail of ring finger right hand. Scar on right shin. Scar on first joint of left index finger |
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(No. of previous Portrait ... ) CONVICTIONS |
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| Where and When | Offence. | Sentence | |||
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Narrandera Q.S Delegate PC Bombala PC Goulburn PC Wagga PC ditto Ruther Glen (Vic) PS |
6 20 19 18 27 7 9 |
3 4 5 6 8 1 3 |
1912 1916 1916 1917 1920 1922 1923 |
Indecent assault on a male person Stealing Breach of license Expose person Stealing ditto Larceny |
5 years PS 1 month HL To serve the unexpired portion 6 months HL £10 or 3 months HL 6 months HL 6 months imprisonment |
William Barton, 1916
The Bombala Times and Manaro and Coast Districts General Advertiser, Fri 19 May 1916 6
NEWS AND NOTES.
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At the Police Court this morning, before Mr Copeland, JP, William Barton was charged with having broken the conditions of his license under the Crimes Act. He had received a sentence of five years at Narrandera and part of the sentence had been remitted under certain conditions. In April last, at Delegate, he received a sentence of one month for stealing a bicycle which was a breach of the conditions of his release. He was sentenced to undergo the balance of his term.
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Delegate Argus, Thu 25 May 1916 7
DISTRICT DOINGS.
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At Bombala Police Court on Friday William [Edward] Barton was charged with having broken the conditions of his license under the Crimes Act. He had received a sentence of five years at Narrandera, and part of the sentence had been remitted under certain conditions. In April, at Delegate, he received a sentence of one month for stealing a bicycle, which was a breach of the conditions of his release. He was sentenced to undergo the balance of his term.
William Edward Barton, 1923
The Argus, Fri 9 Mar 1923 8
COUNTRY NEWS.
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RIVERINA
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RUTHERGLEN.—Following a report of the theft of a bicycle and gun from the Rutherglen Hotel, Constable Leslie arrested a man named [William Edward] Barton near Lilliput.
1 Narandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser, (NSW), Fri 1 Mar 1912, p. 4. 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.
2 Narandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser, (NSW), Fri 8 Mar 1912, p. 4. 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 Wagga Wagga Express, Sat 9 Mar 1912, p. 2.
4 The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, (NSW), Fri 15 Mar 1912, p. 19.
5 SRNSW: NRS2138, [3/6078], Darlinghurst Gaol photographic description book, 1911-1912, No. 12244, p. 208, R5115.
6 The Bombala Times and Manaro and Coast Districts General Advertiser, Fri 19 May 1916, p. 1.
7 Delegate Argus, (NSW), Thu 25 May 1916, p. 2.
8 The Argus, Fri 9 Mar 1923, p. 14.