Janet Clarke is one of those characters who enter the public record on a wave of notoriety and disappear again. She might have hanged her name or country of residence. She might have reformed and become not noteworthy. She might have married and not needed illegal means to support herself.
Janet Clarke, who was convicted at the Police Court yesterday morning of vagrancy, was last evening sentenced to three months' imprisonment. The warrant, however, was ordered to be suspended if the woman remained in the Mount Magdalene Catholic Home in Christchurch for twelve months. -Evening Star, 8/2/1908.
FLOTSAM.
Three women whose careers have brought them to distinct stages of vagabondage and unregeneracy, as labelled by the law, drifted this morning into the harbor of all such flotsam — the Police Court.
The first was Janet Clark, who was charged with being an idle and disorderly person. The other two were Elizabeth Rackley (who was indicted as being an incorrigible rogue) and Nellie Lewis — a rogue and vagabond. Rackley confessed to twentyeight previous convictions, and Lewis was accredited with forty.
A sponsor offered himself for Clark — wanted her for a housekeeper, so he said. But two questions were asked him, and he answered them both in the affirmative. They were: "You are a married man?" and "Didn't your wife apply for a prohibition order against you?" Being denied this home, accused refused to enter any of the charity homes whose doors were open to her, and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment.
The other two were less stubborn, and as the Salvation Army adjutant expressed her willingness to receive them in the Rescue Home where before they had proved good workers, causing no trouble, they were ordered to spend two years there or come up for the sentence, which is in the meantime suspended. -Evening Star, 6/4/1909.
H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., presided in the Police Court on Saturday. Archibald McIntyre was fined 20s for drunkenness or three days' imprisonment. Janet, Mary Clark was charged with drunkenness, and also with keeping a brothel in George street. Evidence was given by the North Dunedin police and three neighbors. His Worship said the evidence showed that accused was continuing a life of vagrancy and had already been in Mount Magdalen Home. The evidence disclosed a disgraceful state of things by accused and her associates. It was a pity the men were not before, the Court. She would fined 5s or 24 hours on the first charge and sentenced to three months' imprisonment on the second. -Evening Star, 16/12/1912.
A DUNEDIN DEN
Wiped Out
Janet Clarke's Crook Caravansary.
[From "Truth's" Dunedin Rep.]
Janet Clarke, who is pretty well known to many of the holy or unholy Porridgebyterians, has for some few weeks past been conducting merry little parties for her male and female friends at a small establishment located at 357b Hope-terrace (off George street), but these little joy jags were brought to an abrupt termination when Janet was brought before Mr Widdowson, S.M., last Saturday morning on a charge of keeping a brothel.
When Janet appeared in the dock preparatory to being dealt with, she reminded one of the old lines, "Oh, Jane, Oh, Jane, My Pretty Jane, The Bloom is Hoff Yer Hye," but, if the bloom was off her eye, it had transferred itself in copious quantities to her ancient physog, and Jane certainly required no rouge to give her a rosy complexion, as plenteous beers, etc., have done their work well.
Janet was unfortunate because she was brought up on summons on the previous day (Friday), but made her alley good, and didn't appear. Janet then entered for the celebration stakes, with the result that she was also roped in for booserino, and had to answer the double charge on Saturday morning.
She pleaded "Guilty" to being boozed, but "Not Guilty" to keeping a brothel. Sub-Inspector Fouhy prosecuted.
Cop Jimmy McQuitty gave evidence of visiting the premises at 357b Hope terrace on December 6 and 7 in company with Cop, Pat O'Connor. There were a number of drunken men and women about the place. "They looked through a window and they saw a merry booze party going on, and those within were not all clothed in very Christian attire, considering they were fraternising. He had seen a prostitute named Laetitia Berkeley about the place among other women.
Cop Pat. O'Connor corroborated Constable McQuitty. Also, on December 12, he saw a reputed prostitute named Jeannie Coates. He had also seen accused consorting with Mary Jane Barry, Laetitia Berkeley, and Isabella Jolly, all prostitutes.
Sergeant Mike McKeefrey said he was at the premises on December 11. There were a number of men and women there. They were drinking, and their conversation was of a very immoral nature. After repeatedly knocking, a woman came to the door. She gave the name of Bennett. When she came to the door, an old man, bareheaded, rushed out to the back. Another man jumped the fence and got through the timber-yard into King street.
Thomas Wallace, a neighbor, said that ever since Janet had taken the house, a few weeks ago, men and women had been coming to it every night. He had seen men misbehave in front of Janet's door, and in view of all the neighbors. On one occasion in daylight he had seen a man in a half-drunken state come out the front door in his underpants.
Two lady neighbors gave corroborative evidence.
Janet contented herself with her plea, and did not cross-examine.
The S.M. soaked Janet in the sum of five roberts for the booserino and to three months' toil for conducting the joy parlor. -NZ Truth, 28/12/1912.
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