A rose by any other name
On 9 July 1918, Florence Breen, alias Frances Norton, alias Emma Clark, alias May Thompson, also known as “Bubbles”, was tried at the Rockhampton District Court for stealing from the person. This was a charge frequently preferred against prostitutes, who often had a string of alias identities. At the beginning of the trial Breen stated that she had applied to the Home Secretary to be supplied with defense counsel but had not received a reply. Justice Jameson replied that he could only assume the authorities were unwilling to meet her request, but he would undertake to see her case proceeded according to the law. Breen, who had several previous convictions included for theft from the person, was accused of stealing a purse containing £25 that belonged to a shearer. However, none of the missing money was found on her person. After the judge emphasised that the prisoner must be acquitted if there was any reasonable doubt in the case, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
This trial report is from Morning BulletinDownload from Trove
