John William Hall, 1916
Below also see: William James Morley and John William Hall, 1916 – Stealing
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Mon 1 May 1916 1
NEWCASTLE POLICE COURT.
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Saturday, April 29.
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(Before Mr FG Adrian, SM.)
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REMANDED.
John William Hall (28), soldier, was charged with committing, on April 28, at Hamilton, a serious offence. Inspector Cook applied for a remand until to-day. The defendant asked for bail. Inspector Cook stated that the battalion to which the defendant was attached was leaving for Sydney on the following day. The magistrate said that the military authorities should be informed of the charge against the man, and from its nature he should not be allowed to go while the matter was pending. Bail would have to be substantial. A remand was granted until this morning, and the defendant was granted to bail, in self of £100, or two sureties of £50, or one of £100.
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Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Thu 4 May 1916 2
QUARTER SESSIONS.
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Wednesday, May, 3.
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(Before His Honor Judge Fitzhardinge.)
Mr AF Dawson was the Crown Prosecutor.
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FOUND NOT GUILTY.
John William Hall, a member of the Expeditionary Force, 3 on bail, was arraigned on a charge of having, at Hamilton, on April 28, committed a serious assault [on Bertie Vile Greenwood]. Mr R Cowan, instructed by Mr JD Reid (Messrs Reid and Reid) appeared for the accused, who pleaded not guilty. For the defence, the accused, in reply to Mr Cowan, said he had been employed as engine-keeper at the Hamilton Fire Station, prior to enlisting. His evidence was a total denial of the evidence tendered by the Crown witnesses, and he called two witnesses to prove that at the time of the alleged offence he was in Newcastle, and later on in Hamilton, but not in the vicinity of the Newtown railway bridge, where the offence was alleged to have taken place. The jury brought in a verdict of not guilty, and accused was discharged.
William James Morley and John William Hall, 1916
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Tue 16 May 1916 4
WALLSEND POLICE COURT.
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Monday, May 15.
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(Before Mr FG Adrian, SM.)
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William James Morley and John William Hall were charged with having, on the 2nd instant, in company, stolen two bags of chaff, valued at 8s 6d, the property of Charlie Ah Nock.
Charlie Ah Nock, gardener, residing at Chinaman’s Flat, Wallsend, deposed that one the 2nd of May he had three bags of chaff in his shed. On the following morning, about 6 o’clock, he went to the shed, and there was only one bag of chaff there.
Jane Shaw, wife of the licensee of the Grapes Inn, Plattsburg, deposed to seeing the two accused at the hotel on the 2nd instant. They came there in a trap at about 5 o’clock in the evening There was a dispute about a parcel, and witness ordered the men to go away from the hotel.
To Morley: You were the worse of liquor.
Jane Borlase, living at Chinaman’s Flat, Wallsend, deposed that on the 2nd inst she was at Shaw’s Hotel, and saw the two accused there. She lived in the same garden as Charlie Ah Nock. She got up into the trap and was driven out near to the garden. It was then about dark. Morley was under the influence of liquor. After leaving the sulky witness went home. Before she went to bed Morley came to the house, but did not stop there. Morley had been at her place before. She knew him well. To go to Charlie Ah Nock’s place they would have to pass her place.
Constable Hinchy, stationed at Waratah, deposed to seeing two men in a sulky in Station-street about 8.45 pm on the 2nd. Knew Morley was one of them, and found out later who the other was. Noticed a couple of bags that appeared like bags of chaff in the front of the sulky. On the following day witness saw both the accused. At Morley’s place witness saw a bin containing about a bag of chaff, and also saw chaff in some feed boxes. On the 4th, about 5.30 pm, witness saw Morley in Hanbury-street driving towards home. He had what appeared to be a couple of bags of chaff in the sulky with him.
Sergeant Fallon, stationed at Waratah, gave evidence corroborative of the previous witnesses’ statements.
Robert Patrick Anderton, shop assistant, living at Waratah, gave evidence of selling a bag of chaff to Morleys on the 1st instant, this being returned and exchanged on the 2nd instant for another bag, which also was exchanged for a third bag on the same day, the reason for the exchanging being that the quality of the two first was complained of Mrs Morley often ordered chaff when ordering grocery.
Senior-sergeant John Fraser, stationed at Wallsend, gave evidence of having gone out to Charlie Ah Nock’s place on the 3rd instant, and had seen tracks leading from the shed to the road about 100 yards away. By the tracks the vehicle had been driven towards Wallsend. The tracks were similar to what would be made by a sulky or a very light box cart.
This concluded the evidence for the prosecution, and the accused, who elected to be summarily dealt with, pleaded not guilty.
For the defence, John William Hall, formerly a labourer, now a soldier in camp at Broadmeadow, deposed that when they had gone home on the evening of the 2nd they had nothing in the trap besides themselves. Chaff would be no use to him, for he had no horses.
George Hall, labourer, living at Waratah, deposed that the sulky belonged to him, and was not strong enough to carry two bags of chaff in addition to the two men.
William James Morley, labourer, residing at Sunnyside-street, Waratah. corroborated Hall’s evidence with regard to returning to Waratah at about 8 pm. In the condition the pony was in it could not pull the trap if loaded with two bags of chaff, in addition to Hall and himself.
To the police: Witness had been at the Chinaman’s before to see the girl, but had never been hunted from there. He had gone to school with the girl. When they called at five o’clock, the girl was not at the house. He had not lived on the girl. He denied having been convictnd for assaulting a Chinese. Did not assault a Chinese about a fortnight ago. He refused to answer questions with reference to previous convictions.
The magistrate [Mr FG Adrian] convicted, and ordered Morley to pay a fine of £10, and costs 8s 6d, in default three months’ imprisonment, and [John William] Hall £3, and costs and expenses £1, or one month’s imprisonment.
1 Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Mon 1 May 1916, p. 2.
2 Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Thu 4 May 1916, p. 7.
3 The digitised WWI service record of John William Hall (serial No. 608, barcode 3007704) can be viewed at: www.naa.gov.au
4 Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Tue 16 May 1916, p. 3. Emphasis added.<