POLICE COURT.—This Day.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1504, 5 December 1874, Page 2

POLICE COURT.—This Day.

(Before Thomas.Becldiam, Esq., R.M.) PUNCHING A SECRETARY.

Alexander Lynch, a pale bssrdlcss young man of twenty-eight, was brought up on warrant, charged with havinar, on the 19ch of November, committed a violent and unprovoked assault on the head and front of .Mr. Richard Thompson Talbot.

Prisoner pleaded not guilty. Mr. Talbot was sworn, and deposed tbafc on the evening of the 19th he weut to the "Olil House at Home" upon business in connection with a Friendly Society that held its regular meetings there, when he was insulted by prisoner. His Worship thought if the members were of a pugilistic term generally, the name of 11 Friendly Society " was a misnomer

Mr Talbot coincided with his Worship's view, and proceeded to describe the nature of the assault: Lynch was drinking a glass of ale at the bar, and said —" To H -11 with every man that wears a white bell-topper !" he then made use of honible language, and squared up to him, calling him a b coward 1 ynch then made a scratch at h head and made 6ve gashes from which the blood flowed copiously.

He also tore away a bunch of his whiskers,

His Worship: He did not thin them much; for you seem to have a good crop left, Mr Talbot.

Mr. Talbot: Pretty fair, your "Worship ! Prisoner informed his Worship that Mr Talbot cleared his face entirely.

His Worship : He gave you a clean shave, then ?

Prisoner : He did, 1 assure you, and they have Dot grown since.

Mr. Talbot stated farther that a deadly weapon was found in prisoner's possession. Lynch, he believed, owed him a erudge because he was expelled from the Mechanics' lustitute for bad conduct. He went in fear of his life.

To prisoner: He stated to Mr. Leslie, but not loud enough, as he thought, for him to hear, that if he knew Lyach's character he would not have him in his house. He did strike him on a former occasion by the Police Court, but he forgot himself. He must say, however, that he. Lynch, richly deserved it. Thomas Day Leslie, deposed that he kept the " Old House at Home," and remembered the circumstances ; Lynch was takiug a glass of ale at the bar, when Mr Talbot asked if that man's name was Lynch, and spoke about his being assaulted by prisoner some three years ago which was overheard by Lynch and irritated him- Lynch made use of strange words and reflected severely upon Mr Talbot's white hat. There was a scuffle between them, and Mr Talbot's whiskers were considerably thinned. He believed there would have been some sharp work but a little dog ran between their legs and hindered the progress of the battle.

His Worship : That dog was a very sensible one.

Mr Leslie : It was, your Worship ; he did not seem to approve of the row.

To Mr Broham: Prisoner had a knife about his person but he did not use it; he threatened to expose Mr Talbot's brains in a reckless manner.

Prisoner made a long statement to the Court in vindication of his character as a gentleman and traveller.

His Worship replied that unfortunately for prisoner he had seen him in that dock before; and had not Mr Talbot acted very indiscreetly in the affair, he should have sent him to prison for two months. He must, however, pay a fine of £5, or be imprisoned for one month ; and find sureties to keep the peace for six months, himself in £50, and two others in £25 each.

" SNAP " COME TO LIFE. Anne Lynch, an elderly lady, said to be the mother of the last prisoner, appeared again on a charge of being the owner of a dog called "Snap," the said dog having attacked Mary Ann Alexander on the 3rd November last, and endangered her life. The o'd lady here burst into a flood of tears, as Constable Mulville led the ferocious " Snap " into Court, whining piteously. His Worship : Well, Mrs Lyncb, 1 understood that your dog was to be killed, so that the charge against you might be withdrawn.

Oh, dear me 1 your Worship «.*„ gone away, aad hw collar Z JH'htf thought he was gone for evT"Jft «J? said .ach thing, about him *gt **J Snap "came back a«ain to wl V *■ Con, able MulvUle proved SiV'^ll'"Snap » secreted in M^ LyndJ'lil 1^ Mr Branson, pl UlD ber, of A ,J Opbo«. proved to seeing the attack np^tt"l* 1^ person The dog was very JJI?VS seen it bite other persons 8 ; he h* Mra LyLcti: Oh. yer Worahin j * I I have had him from pnppyh£$ VetSl} him out of a feeding-bottle Hell aiid M cent «a Jamb; he was good at a \nn>^would not bite a child. b<me. but His Worship said that after th« » -j as to «Snap's" character, the CWdenc9 hue defendant 40a and costs, and iSII niUßt die. onaPaust

Mrs Lynch left the Court weeping bifcWi This was all the basineas. 8 ?%