Albina SANDER [9597]

   Other names for Albina were Alvina SANDER and Alvina VARKER.

  General Notes:

Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918) Fri 28 Jan 1910 Page 5 CITY COURT.
Insufficient Means of Support
Two girls, Alvina Sander and Rubina O' Shannnessey were charged with having insufficient means of support, Sander was the first to be charged, and she pleaded not guilty.
She was defended by Mr. J. F. Barnett. Constable Dugan deposed that he arrested the accused the previous afternoon.
Frequent complaints about her conduct had been made, and witness had seen her knocking about the streets late at night in company with men. So far as he knew she had no means of support. Constable Smith stated that he had also had had occasion to warn accused. Mr Barnett said of late accused had been engaged keeping house for her brother, who was a partner in a photographers business at Howard Place. Adolph Sander said he was the father of the accused, who is 18 years of age. He had been keeping he up to a fortnight ago when he had to go to the hospital, he having broken his arm.

Since then she had been keeping house for her brother . Questioned regarding his means, witness said he earned a little himself but had remittances sent to him from Germany. During the last 18 months he had received £181 in that way. Adolph Albert Sander , son of the pervious witness, deposed that his sister was now engaged keeping house for witness and his partner. There was furniture in the house, and she received 6/ per week as wages. Albert Victor Schilling said he was Sander's partner. Accused now kept house for them. and was paid 6/ per week. The bench remarked that it was a very distressing case. It was evident that the girl was not under proper care and control. It was monstrous To think that three policemen would endeavour to swear away a young girls character, and he did not believe they would. he would like to know what her present surrounds were. Constable Dugan, recalled said that in one room there was a small bed hardly big enough for one yet accused and the other girl whom he arrested had been sleeping in it. The bed clothes were few and filthy. Sander and Schilling slept in a bed upstairs and beyond a dresser there was practically no furniture in the place. Mr Anderson said if the girl did not improve in the next year or two, then it was goodbye to everything good in her. Accused told the bench that she could get a situation with a lady at Golden Square. The case was adjourned for a week to afford accused an opportunity of getting the situation, the bench remarking that it would prefer to rescue her and get her not a good home rather than send her to gaol.

Rubina O'Shannessy was similarly charged. Constable Dugan said accused had been in company with the girl Sander. He arrested her simply to prevent her continuing her downward course. He believed her mother was a respectable, hard working woman. The mother of the accused stated her daughter left home on Sunday night, saying she awes going to a friend's place to tea, but she did not return . Witness had no trouble with her until she became acquainted with the girl Sander. She believed she could still control her
daughter. The bench cautioned accused that the police would keep an eye on her.
The case would be adjourned for a week to see if she would behave herself and remain under her mothers' care,

The Bendigo Independent (Vic. : 1891 - 1918) Fri 7 Sep 1917 Page 3 GOLD IN POSSESSION.
GOLD IN POSSESSION.
YOUNG MINER SENTENCED,
SIX WEEKS' IMPRISONMENT.
Albert James Varker, a married man, aged 22 years, employed as a miner at the Carlisle mine, was yesterday charged in the City Court with failing to satisfy the police that he came lawfully by certain gold when asked for an explanation at Long Gully on August 28 last.

Mr. C. J. Rogers, P.M., occupied the bench. Mr. Smalley prosecuted, and Mr. Luke Murphy defended. Constable Earnshaw said that on August 28 he was with Constable Olive at the Carlisle mine. He went down early to the chute in the 1200ft level. After a search he discovered two gold-bearing specimens embedded in some grit on a small ledge. Then he proceeded along the level and saw accused standing behind a truck. Witness said, "Police," and grabbed him with both hands. Accused tried to get his hand in his waistcoat pocket.

Constable Olive searched his jacket and found gold. Accused said he did not know how it got there. Witness asked him to satisfy him as to his lawfully coming by the gold. Accused answered that he picked the gold up the day after the last big raid at the mine. Witness went to the chute and found the gold-bearing specimens were missing.

Mr. Murphy: Have you anyone in the mine who gives you information?
Constable Earnshaw: I refuse to answer.
Mr. Murphy,: Did you say at a later stage, "Act the man and I will get you a job in a mine where there is no gold?"
Witness: No.
Mr. Murphy: Did,, you say: May I search your house? I have no warrant and unless you agree to let me go now it will be necessary for me to take you to the watchhouse and lock you up till I secure one.
Witness: Yes.
Constable Olive accompanied them to the house.
James Sims, manager of the Carlisle mine, said he knew the accused who was employed at the mine. On the day in question accused was working as trucker at the 1264ft level, commonly known as the 1200ft level. There was no one else working in the chute on that morning.
The gold (produced) resembled the gold taken from this level.
Mr. Murphy: Was a man named Wilson working there?
Witness: Yes.
Mr. Murphy: You said accused was the only one working there.
Witness: I said in the chute; there were others working in the level.
Constable Olive corroborated Constable Earn shaw's evidence, and produced the paper which the gold was wrapped in, which was torn from a copy of the previous day's issue (27/8/17).
To Mr. Murphy: I thought the coat accused was wearing was the same color as, the vest. He said he picked the vest up in the changing room. I Willie not swear the vest and coat were of the same texture. While he was searching, Constable Earnshaw said, "Look here," and I saw the gold, which was partly exposed.
Mr. Murphy: Marvellous!
John A. - Michelsen, reporter, on the staff of the Bendigo Advertiser, gave evidence as to the cutting being identical with the day's issue (produced.
Mr. Murphy said that the over whelming evidence given by the witnesses proved that he was in possession of the parcel of gold. The story told by him at the Carlisle mine to the constable was that he found the vest in the changing room under a boiler. He was not aware that the parcel was in his possession. He is a young man, and when the constables visited his house they did not find any dealings with gold.
They could see what a great risk accused ran by picking up the gold putting it in his pocket. It
seemed to him (Mr. Murphy) that someone put it in his pocket. It is a cursed practice having these pimps in the mines, but, unfortunately, it was necessary at times. It was not right that such miserable worms should be allowed to work with honest miners.

Albert James Varker, living at 108 Rowan street, said he was on day shift on August 28 at the Carlisle mine. He started work at 7 a.m., and finished at 3 pm. Three other men were working at the same level, viz. 1200ft. His duty was to wheel the quartz. During the morning he did that work, and about 10 a.m. the constables arrived. Constable Earnshaw said, "If you act the man I will do so, and get you another job." He had been off work for seven days, and on returning found his waistcoat had gone. The miners leave their vests in the changing-house. The reason he wore his vest was because he suffered from rheumatics. The gold produced was that which was found in the pocket of his waist-coat. He did not know it was there. If the constables said they saw a piece of gold in the sand then someone must have put it there. He knew nothing about the, gold in his pocket.
To Mr. Smalley: There was no struggle between accused and the constable. He pulled away because the constable was hurting his finger.
Mr. Smalley (sarcastically) : It must have been a great surprise to you.
Accused: It was.
To Mr. Smalley: I did not say I picked the waistcoat up the day after the raid, or that I have been wearing it ever since.
The P.M.: I am not satisfied with the defence that accused came lawfully by the gold.
Mr. Murphy: Then I will call further evidence. Continuing, Mr. Murphv said it is the rule to give a first
offender an opportunity to make good. In all walks of life there are leakages, and this case has been magnified like other gold cases. Accused should not be sent to gaol.
Mr, Rogers: He is convicted and sentence to six weeks' imprisonment.
At this stage accused s wife collapsed, and had to be taken from court.

The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Wed 29 Aug 1917 Page 8 BENDIGO.
BENDIGO.
A miner named Albert James Varker, 22, married, was arrested at the Bendigo Amalgamated Gold Fields Carlisle mine on Tuesday, on a charge of having been found in possession of gold for which he could not satisfactorily account. He was subsequently liberated on a surety of £100 to appear at the police court on Monday.

The retiring Mayoress (Mrs.W. Beebe) has been presented by councillors with a handsome diamond ring as a token of appreciation of the manner in which she carried out her duties during Cr Beebe's 2 years occupancy of the mayoral chair

Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929) Mon 25 Feb 1929 Page 9 CHILD DROWNED IN
CHILD DROWNED IN LAKE
BENDIGO, Feb. 24.
'Desmond David Varker, aged two and a half years, of Bridge Street, Bendigo, was drowned in Lake Weeroona on Saturday evening. The child was playing with two sisters and a brother at the lake, when he was suddenly missed. The other children ran home to see if -the child was there, but finding he had not returned they went back to the lake and found his hat on the bank. After an hour's search, members of the Bendigo Rowing Club' recovered the body.


The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Mon 25 Feb 1929 Page 12 AN INFANT'S DEATH.
AN INFANT'S DEATH
Drowned in a Lake.
BENDIGO, Sunday.- On Saturday evening Desmond David Varker, the two-year-old son of Mr and Mrs Albert James Varker of Bridge-street, was drowned in Lake Weeroona. With his two young sisters and a brother the child had been playing on one of the banks of the lake.

He was missed by one of his playmates and as a search failed to locate him it was thought he had gone home. The children ran to their home a quarter of a mile distant, but he was not there. They hurried back to the lake and found the little boy's hat on the bank near the boat sheds. Members of the Sandhurst Rowing Club searched the water for the body, which was eventually located by Mr. G. J. Caldwell. A doctor was summoned, and artificial respiration methods were applied without avail.

An inquest was held today by the coroner, Mr A. M. Cook, P. M., and a verdict of death form accidental drowning was recorded.

Albina married Albert James VARKER [11475] [MRIN: 3857].