Funi Vincenzo, 1901
Below also see: Frank Vincent, 1912 - Indecent assault,
Frank Vincent, 1922

 

The Daily Telegraph, (NZ), Tue 3 Sep 1901 ¹

LATE WIRES.
———◦———
(Per Press Association.)

…

Invercargill, This day.

    The Supreme Court sittings were opened to-day before Judge Denniston,
…
    Funi Vincerzo [sic] pleaded guilty to stabbing with intent, and got four months’ imprisonment.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Wanganui Herald (Canterbury, NZ), Wed 4 Sep 1901 ²

SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.
———◦———
(Per United Press Association.)

Invercargill, September4.

    The Supreme Court sittings opened yesterday before Judge Denniston, who remarked that the calendar was somewhat lengthy. Referring to the charge against four young man of forging and uttering counterfeit coin, his Honor said they evidently made them to test their skills as moulders, and one of their number used them. Funi Vincenzo, who pleaded guilty to stabbing with intent, was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment. WRG Hay, a married man, pleaded guilty to arson at Orepuki, and also to stealing a safe and contents from the Mataura Post Office in 1894. He was sentenced to 12 months for arson, and 18 months for robbery, the sentences to be cumulative.

 

---

Frank Vincent, 1912

Auckland Star (Auckland, NZ), Fri 23 Feb 1912 ³

SUPPRESSION OF CRIME.
THE CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

    The Supreme Court sessions in their criminal jurisdiction were proceeded with yesterday afternoon, and this morning before Mr Justice Edwards.
…

20 YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT.

    Frank Vincent, an undersized man of middle age, with a strong Italian accent, was placed on his trial for alleged indecent assaults upon three boys in Auckland during December.

    Evidence was given by three youths for the prosecution, and the accused made a statement on oath in which he denied all of the charges.

    His Honor: Can you give us any reason why these boys should come here and swear falsehoods about you?

    The prisoner, who found difficulty in expressing himself and at times waxed very excited, was unable to give an intelligible reason. He muttered something about it being a plot against him because he was an Italian, and swore by many forms of oaths that his own statement was the correct one. The boys, he said, had been his friends and had acted the part of betrayers even as Judas Iscariot had done. He admitted having been sentenced in New Zealand some twelve years ago in connection with the stabbing of a man. The prisoner said that apart from this he had always been a good man. He had worked for different contractors in Auckland and had a wife in Italy, whom he married during a trip home three years ago, and who cost him £8 a month.

    The jury, after a retirement of half an hour, returned a verdict of guilty.

    His Honor said: “Prisoner at the bar, the verdict of the jury, which is unquestionably a correct one, shows that you have set up an organised system of corrupting the young boys of this city. The offence could possibly be worse. It is my duty to put you where, for a very protracted period, it will be quite impossible for you to pursue your evil life. Really, you ought never to be at large again, because it is almost certain that you will never be reformed. My duty, therefore, is to put you where, for a very long time indeed this sort of thing will be quite impossible on your part. Though there are other powers superior to mine which can set you at liberty if they choose to do so. I consider I shall best discharge my duty by imposing a substantial sentence, and leaving it to those powers to redress it if they think fit. H sentence of the Court in respect of each offence is that you will be imprisoned with hard labour for five years, the sentence to be accumulative.”

    The sentence is thus equivalent to twenty years’ imprisonment.

 

---

Frank Vincent, 1922

 

The Maitland Weekly Mercury, Sat 21 Jan 1922 ⁴

WEST MAITLAND COURT.
———◦———
Monday, January 16.
————

    The Bench at the West Maitland Police Court on Monday was occupied by Major FWC Crane, PM.

ALLEGED INDECENT ASSAULT.

    Vincent Funi, alias Frank Vincent, was charged with having at Werris Creek on January 11, indecently assaulted a boy.

    Plain-Clothes Constable Emmett gave evidence as to arresting the defendant, who stated that the boy had come into his room, and the father assaulted defendant and threw him out.

    A remand for seven days to Werris Creek was granted

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Northern Daily Leader, Mon 6 Feb 1922 ⁵

QUARTER SESSIONS.
————

    The following cases have been listed for the Court of Quarter Sessions, which will open at Tamworth at 10 am to-day, before his Honor Judge White:– Vincent Funi, alias Frank Vincent, charged in two cases with indecently assaulting a male person; William Henry Holmes, charged with breaking, entering and stealing from a dwelling house, at Ardglen; Clifford Barber and Philip Ryan, alleged stealing of chains at or near Currabubula; Cyril Matthew Thompson and Henry William Starr, charged with breaking, entering and stealing.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Northern Daily Leader, Tue 7 Feb 1922 ⁶

QUARTER SESSIONS.
———◦———
OPENED AT TAMWORTH.
———
INDECENT ASSAULT.
———
ACCUSED FOUND GUILTY.
———

    A Court of Quarter Sessions was opened at Tamworth yesterday, before his Honor Judge White. Mr WA Bourne acted as Deputy Sheriff. Mr RJ Browning was Crown Prosecutor.

    Vincent Funi, alias Frank Vincent, was charged with having at Werris Creek on January 11 last, indecently assaulting Victor Alfred Kearns.

    Mr R Leigh appeared for accused, who pleaded not guilty.

    Evidence was given by Constable John Hugh Burnes, Victor Alfred Kearns, Ellen Kearns, David Kearns, and the defendant [Frank Vincent].

    In cross-examination accused admitted having been seven years in gaol in New Zealand for a similar offence to the one with which he was now charged.

    The jury returned a verdict of guilty.

    Funi pleaded guilty to another charge of indecently assaulting Frank Boyd, at Werris Creek.

    Accused was remanded for sentence in both cases.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Northern Daily Leader, Wed 8 Feb 1922 ⁷

QUARTER SESSIONS.
———◦———
CASES AT TAMWORTH.
———
SENTENCES IMPOSED.
———

    At the Court of Quarter Sessions at Tamworth yesterday, before His Honor Judge White, several persons, on remand were brought up for sentence.

INDECENT ASSAULT.

    Vincent Funi, for indecently assaulting Victor Alfred Kearns at Werris Creek, was sentenced to two years’ hard labor in Grafton Gaol. He was also sentenced to two years for indecently assaulting Frank Boyd, this sentence to run concurrent with the first.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Vincent Funi, Gaol photo sheet ⁸

---

Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details

No. 18382

Date when Portrait was taken: 16-2-1922

Name: Vincent Funi
(aka Frank Vincent, Funi Vincenzo)

Native place: Italy Year of birth: 13-12-1868 Arrived       Ship: Unknown in Colony }   Year: 1902 Trade or occupation previous to conviction  } Carpenter Religion: R. C. Education, degree of: R & W Height: 5' 2" Weight     On committal: 121 in lbs     } On discharge: Colour of hair: Brown Colour of eyes: Blue

Marks or special features: Scar over right eye. Slight cast in eyes. Scar across right thumb

(No. of previous Portrait ... )  CONVICTIONS
Where and When				Offence.	Sentence
New Zealand Invercargill SC Auckland SC NSW Tamworth Q.S	3 19     6	9 2   2	1901 1912   1922	Cutting & wounding Indecent assault on a male person (4 charges)   Indecent assault on a male person (2 charges)	4 months HL. 5 years H.L. on each charge. Accumulative. Released 31-12-1919   2 years HL on each charge. Concurrent

 

---

¹     The Daily Telegraph (NZ), Tue 3 Sep 1901, p. 8.

²     The Wanganui Herald (Wanganui, NZ), Wed 4 Sep 1901, p. 2.

³     Auckland Star (Auckland, NZ), Fri 23 Feb 1912, p. 6. Emphasis added.

⁴     The Maitland Weekly Mercury, Sat 21 Jan 1922, p. 16.

⁵     The Northern Daily Leader, Mon 6 Feb 1922, p. 5. Emphasis added.

⁶     The Northern Daily Leader, Tue 7 Feb 1922, p. 1.

⁷     The Northern Daily Leader, Wed 8 Feb 1922, p. 1.

⁸     SRNSW: NRS2467, [3/6107], State Penitentiary photographic description book, 8 Feb 1922-5 Sep 1922, No. 18382, p. 19.

---