The Sydney Morning Herald, Fri 15 Jul 1927 ¹

LAW NOTICES.
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Friday, July 15.
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QUARTER SESSIONS.

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    No. 2 Court: Roy Watson, break, enter, and steal; Francis William Tozer, indecency; Ernest Alfred Law and Edward David Merrett, break, enter, and steal.

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ALLEGED ATTACK.
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FISHING TRIP TO COWAN.
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    At the Hornsby Police Court yesterday Henry Coates, 44, labourer, was committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court on a charge of having wounded John Willoughby, with intent to murder him, at Cowan Creek, Hawkesbury River, on July 4. Bail was allowed in £150.

    Willoughby said he arrived in Australia from England 19 months ago, and reached Sydney on June 28. He stayed at a city hotel, and became friendly with defendant, who was a fellow-lodger. At Coates’ suggestion he went to Cowan Creek for a day’s fishing on July 4. On the way to the creek they took out some fishing lines, and while witness was untying a knot he felt a blow on the head and fell. Defendant and witness struggled, and Coates remarked that he had gone mad. Witness added that Coates attacked him again. Witness took a hammer from defendant and threw it away.

    After further evidence Coates was committed for trial.

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The Sydney Morning Herald, Sat 16 Jul 1927 ²

QUARTER SESSIONS.
No. 1 COURT.
(Before Judge Edwards.)

    Crown Prosecutor, Mr Neil McTague.
…

No. 2 COURT.
(Before Judge Curlewis.)

    Crown Prosecutor, Mr LJ McKean.
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OCTOGENARIAN SENTENCED.

    Francis William Tozer, 82 years and 9 months of age, retired master mariner, 3 was charged with indecently assaulting a boy, [Lindsay Walton Read, 8], at Drummoyne, on April 27. Mr Herron (instructed by Mr Mervyn Finlay) appeared for the accused, who was convicted with a strong recommendation to mercy on account of his great age and previous good character.

    Replying to the plea of counsel for leniency, his Honor said that there had been a great deal of that class of offence, and it was necessary that there should be a deterrent to others. He sentenced the prisoner to six months’ imprisonment, and intimated that if an appeal was made to the Supreme Court, he would report that he had no discretion but to pass a sentence in a case of that nature.

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Chronicle, Sat 23 Jul 1927 ⁴

IMPRISONED AT 82.
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A SERIOUS OFFENCE.

Sydney, July 15.

    Francis William Tozer (82), a retired mariner, was convicted before Judge Curlewis to-day of having committed a serious offence at Drummoyne on April 27.

    The judge said, although the accused was a great age, he must pass a sentence of six months’ imprisonment.

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Francis William Tozer, Gaol photo sheet ⁵ 

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Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details

No. 22388

Date when Portrait was taken: 18-7-1927

Name: Francis William Tozer

Native place: West Australia Year of birth: 21-9-1844 Arrived       Ship: in Colony }   Year: BS Trade or occupation previous to conviction  } Pensioner Religion: C of E Education, degree of: R & W Height: 5' 2½" Weight     On committal: 173 in lbs     } On discharge: Colour of hair: Grey Colour of eyes: Blue

Marks or special features: Female & male figures, sailing ship & palm tree outside left upper arm. Hair thin on top of head.

(No. of previous Portrait ... )  CONVICTIONS
Where and When				Offence.	Sentence
Sydney Q.S	15	7	1927	Indecent assault on a male person	6 months HL.

 

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¹     The Sydney Morning Herald, Fri 15 Jul 1927, p. 8. Emphasis added.

²     The Sydney Morning Herald, Sat 16 Jul 1927, p. 12.

³     Evening News, (Sydney, NSW), Tue 22 May 1883, p. 3. Emphasis added.

“MARINE BOARD.
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       The usual weekly meeting of the members of the Marine Board was held yesterday afternoon. Pr5esent----Captains Hixson (president), Broomfield, Fox, Robertson, Jenkins, McLean, and Commander Lindemann (secretary).
…

WRECK OF THE SEA BREEZE.

       An inquiry was then held into the loss of the Sea Breeze, which was wrecked on Tuesday last on the north head of Botany. Francis William Tozer gave evidence that the Sea Breeze, of 57 tons, in ballast, was on a voyage from Botany to the Manning River, and was towed out from Botany with a nice south-west wind blowing. When at the Heads the wind fell dead calm; then it came up a light breeze from the south-east, with a heavy south-east swell. Could not stay the vessel. Launched the boat, and tried to wear her, but could not. Let go bother anchors with 60 fathoms of chain on each, but it failed to hold her, and she drifted on to the rocks and became a wreck. John Peterson Nordgeist, mate, and Frank Blavvis corroborated the master’s evidence. The board found that the vessel was lost owing to the wind falling light, and a heavy south–east swell setting in, and to her being thereby driven o9n to the rocks, notwithstanding all efforts to save her, and that there was no evidence adduced on which to found a charge of default against the master.

       The sitting then closed.”

⁴     Chronicle (Adelaide, SA), Sat 23 Jul 1927 p. 53.

⁵     SRNSW: NRS2467, [3/6119], State Penitentiary photographic description book, 5 May 1927-7 Oct 1927, No. 22388, p. 143.

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