ABSTRACT
LAMBETH EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE . - Willia m Lazenby, described a s a bookseller, was finally charged , befor e Mr . Ellison , wit h unlawfull y incitin g J.G. Harri s t o sell , o r publish certai n obscene , wicke d an d lew d books . — Mr. St . John Wonte r appeare d t o prosecute o n par t o f the Treasury. - Th e case, whic h had been o n a former occasion before th e court, wa s now concluded, afte r occupyin g severa l hours. - Th e evidence showed tha t o n th e 22n d July Mr . J . Harris , th e prosecuto r ( a young man ) saw th e following advertisement in the Daily Telegraph. "700/ . - immens e profits, nearly 1 ,000/. a year - wante d to carry out a very quiet but most profitable business. Half profits given without risks of partnership. Address R.C., Post-office , Brewer-street , W." Mr. Harri s at th e tim e bein g anxiou s t o inves t som e money , replie d t o th e advertisement , an d received a letter in reply, but no t thinkin g the explanation as to the business sufficient , he again wrote for particular s and then ascertaine d in the answe r sen t tha t the mone y was required i n order t o prin t an d publish indecen t books , an d finding thi s to b e the case h e immediatel y communicate d wit h th e authoritie s at Scotland-yard , an d after - wards acte d unde r th e directio n o f th e detectiv e department , Scotland-yard . Upo n a certain evening an appointment was made, which prisoner kept, a t which Andrews was present, an d represented himsel f as prosecutor's brother . Prisone r tol d prosecuto r that all he wanted a t present was ISO/. , whic h he would tak e in three payments of 50/. Fo r the 150J . h e woul d insur e to prosecuto r a n income o f 31. pe r week , an d he explaine d that it was for the purpose of printing "suppressed" works , and produced a catalogue in which were mentione d certai n works o f a grossly obscen e character . By a subsequent arrangement the parties me t a t St . Paul's-road, Canonbury , whe n a cheque was given by Mr . Harri s fo r 50/. , an d a memorandu m o f acknowledgemen t b y th e prisoner . When leaving the house of meeting, Inspector Palmer came up and told prisoner he had got a warrant to arrest him, which he read to him. He was placed in a cab accompanied
police-station, h e too k fro m hi s pocke t a n obscen e book , whic h h e ha d previously shown t o prosecutor , an d threw i t int o th e Thames . - Mr . Marshall , a cler k i n the advertisement offic e o f the Daily Telegraph, produce d tw o manuscrip t advertisements , the firs t havin g been inserte d as already stated , and the second o n the 22nd Augus t and 5th September , i n the following terms: - "Spar e th e rod and spoil the child. Address 'Expert,' 48 , Unio n street , Southwark. " Th e detectiv e Andrew s prove d tha t thos e advertisements wer e i n th e handwritin g of th e prisoner . I n referenc e t o th e secon d advertisement the prosecutor stated the prisoner said he had i t inserted in order t o ope n a communicatio n wit h partie s in referenc e to furthe r negotiations . I t wa s als o prove d that the prisoner had requested th e post-office keepe r in Brewer-stree t t o receive letters for him , a s also the femal e keeping the house in Union-street. Prisone r was also shown to hav e live d fo r som e tim e i n Princes s road , Lambeth . Th e prisone r al l alon g represented t o prosecutor tha t the business was a most lucrativ e one, an d stated tha t in consequence o f his living two year s in this country he meant to issue his circulars fro m Antwerp, an d the books would com e thence to London , a s they were not s o particular over there . Rathe r than have another two years ' imprisonment if caught, he should get bail, an d give the m th e slip. - Afte r th e usua l caution , prisoner stated tha t the whole case was got u p by th e police. H e denied ther e being any incitement to Harri s to print or publish any obscene work . I t was simply a loan of money a t the rate of two pe r cent interest pe r week . H e considere d n o jury coul d convic t him . - Mr . Elliso n full y committed hi m fo r tria l t o th e Centra l Crimina l Court.
