IRISH TRIAL SCENES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9540, 4 March 1919, Page 5

IRISH TRIAL SCENES.

Unusual scenes were recently witnessed at Dublin City Commission when John M'Donald, alleged to be a deserter from the London Scottish, was charged with obtaining money by cashing worthless cheques. He was arrested in Cork, whence he travelled from Belfast in a taxi cab, posing as a staff captain bearing dispatches. At one police court hearing ne was given seven days for contempt of court, and at the next he had to be removed from the dock while the evidence was heard in his absence.

He entered the dock without his coat or waistcoat, and refused to plead. The clerk said that that amounted to a plea of not guilty, and he woidd swear trJe jury to try him. "You will swear no jury to try me," loudly exclaimed McDonald, who said he did not care about the court. They could try him, he added, in his absence, as he had been tried before, aud the judge could send him to prison for 20 years if he liked. He then went downstairs from the dock and had to be forcibly brought back by warders and policemen. He struggled violently and -hrew his legs over the dock, shouting that he had been kicked and treated, like others, with brutality. During the swearing of the jury he had to be held down in the dock. He Lißfened to the counsel's statement, but at the end of the first witness's evidence shouted, "I'm getting eiek of this thing and don't think I'll stick it any longer. If justice has got to be done you can do it, but no more in my presence. '■

He then made a violent attempt t« break away, but lour or fiee policemen held him down on the floor* After M'Donald had song verses of popular songs he was removed, and the trial was proceeded with in hie absence. As he was taken ont ho sang out, "Good-bye-ec" to the judge. The jury found him gnilfcy on all charges," and when he was brought back into court for sentence it was found that he had nothing on but his trousers. He was sentenced to five years' penal servitude, and replied "Thank you very much."