THE CHURCH MILITANT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 92, 25 May 1914, Page 3

THE CHURCH MILITANT.

PUGILISTIC CANON. Fpeling very; penitent and with marks of a -conflict visible oh their faces, jamesand Jeremiah Mahoney, whose cowardly attack Wpon an elderly man during the progress . of a..social gathieriiVg !at 'fet./Pieter's Hali, Melbourne;,- was promptly cheeked :by the pugilistic activities • of CanonHughes, &nd\.Bev.* H" v stood in the dock at the City Court . on the lSth insK Each man pleaded guilty to & charge of ;haviiig. behaved irt •'an offetosive manner. - Jaine's Maiioriey-had a bulged "and discoloured ' left eye, but his .brother, was not badly injured. Slight scratches were noticeable on the faces of Rev. Yickery and Mr Patrick j Goxirley, the verger of St. Peter's' who sat amongst the court spectators. Canon Hughes, whose effectual punches rendered the aggressors hors de combat, did not attend the court. His absence/however, was not due to any ill effects of- the encounter, from which he emerged unscathed, but successful. - Patrick Francis" Gourley, caretaker of St. Peter 's Hall, said that at 11.20 p.m." the two defendants', and another man sought to push their way into the hall and take part in a social gathering." While witness was. trying to stop James Mahoney from' going in, the other men rushed up and shoved him away. Witness was stopped , from falling by Rev. H, K. Vickei'y. Rev.' Vickery and lie then got "mixed'/ in an argument with the men on the footpath, and as witness thought James' Mahoney intended to kick Mr Yickery he punched him in the eye. Canon Hughes then came on the seene and looked after Jeremiah Malxoney." The two men were held until the police arrived. Rev. Harold Kingsley Vickery said: "I noticed the verger looking very hard at a man in the hall with curly hair. He appeared to be wondering whether he let the man in or not. .1 ■looked away for a second, and then I heard a scuffle and noticed,another man rush' up and attack the elderly verger. I flew at "him. (Laughter)'. At that moment the verger fell back, and I passed him out of further; danger. I think .I passed him on to the ladies. (Laughter). The man who was in the hall then attacked me, rushing at me from behind. In a few seconds we were fighting in the gutter.. (Laughter). Canon Hughes then ran out of the hall and helped me. The Mahoneys were not invited guests. (Laughter). Jeremiah Mahoney spoke up, and said that curiosity had prompted, him . .and his two brothers to look in the hall. They thought they could look at the; dance. He walked through the door, and as-nobody interfered with him, he beckoned to his brothers to enter. When he saw his. brother James being punched he went.to his assistance. He got knocked out then and remembered no more. Defendants were fined £l.