The Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder. — 1883-09-22 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

TIIITBSDAY.—B, fore. Al;!rman Davie, Dr. J.  Thuma... J. G. ,ind J. C. liye  ALLEGED INDFA•ENT _ASSAULT ON A  -LI 171.1;  John IL Edwaod, fireuere, was brought I up on remand char.:. d with unlawfully and in- I decently assaulting Jane Victoria o..l,erne, aged 13, on board the se. Loch cowry, in the Prime of Wales Deck, on Tuesday. James Elder (17), fireman on board the said ship, was also brought 1 up on remand charged with feleniously aiding . and abetting,John Edwards. Complainant to- 1 day said that the prisoner Elder And the door ' when Edwards pulled her into the forecastle, and that after she got away from Edwards. she opened the door, and saw the prisoner Elder standing outside the door. When she came on deck she again screamed out "murder" and a Mr. Fender, pilot, came to her, and she told him what prisoner had done to her, and he went and fetched a °mist ible. David Fender, pilot, said that on Tuesday afternoon he was on board the ship when the little girl came on board the steamer, about four o'clock. lie heard the complainant scream out "murder," and he made his way towards the place from which the sound came, and when he got near the forecastle the little girl came out crying. Ile noticed some blood on both her arms and pinafore She then made a complaint to witness. The prisoner Edwards put his head outside the door of the forecastle. Witness told him he had done a wrong thing to the child, and Edwards replied "Go to h—" and challenged Fender to fight. In reply to the bench Fender said he did not see the prisoner Elder at all. P.C. Hakes said he was sent for to go on board the s.s. Loch Garry on Tuesday afternoon last, and he arrested the two defendants there. Edwards in reply to the charge said nothing. But Elder said he shut the door because he did not want to have anything to do with it. At the police station, when they were again charged, Edwards replied that it was all false. The prisoner Elder made no remark. Dr. Thomas was called and said he examined the little girl at 7 o'clock and found her suffering from the prisoner's violence, and blood was flowing freely. He examined both prisoners but found no marks of blood or scratches upon them. Edwards now said to the bench he did not insult the girl in any way. In the morning he hought 9d. worth of milk from complainant, and that in the afternoon the complainant with three other girls came on board and asked him to buy some milk for her to drink. He would not do so, and the complainant and the other girls followed him into his berth. Some time afterwards she walked into the prisoner's berth when he was changing his best clothes to put on his working clothes. It was his turn to boon duty. Be asked her to leave the forecastle while he was dressing. Edwards then caught hold of her by the arm, and attempted to puther out, when the door accidentally closed. After he had dressed himself and went on deck, the pilot asked him what he bad been doing to the little girl? and he said he had done nothing to her. Both prisoners were committed to take their trial at the next quarter sessions, to be held at Swansea on October sth.