POLICE COURT.—This Day.

Auckland Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2406, 6 December 1877, Page 3

POLICE COURT.—This Day.

(Before J. Cosgrave, Esq., and G. P. Pierce, Esq., Justices of the Peace.) AN OLD DRUNKARD. Robert Leary was charged with having been found intoxicated last evening, in Victoria-street, by Constable McLennan. There were 16 previous convictions recorded against the prisoner, and an examination of these shewed that he had spent a long period in prison. He pleaded guilty, and was fined 5s and costs ; or, in default, 4S hours' imprisonment, with hard labour. A DESPICABLE COWARD. James Green, on remand, was charged with assaulting his wife, Maria Green, by attempting to strangle her, at Auckland, on November 30th. Defendant pleaded not guilty. Mrs Green desired to withdraw the ' c har"c, and her request was granted. THE BREEZE IN WYNDHAM-STREET. Andrew Heavey, pawnbroker, of Wynd-hara-street, was charged with assaulting Elizabeth Nicholson, by striking her with his clenched fist, at Auckland, on December 4th, 1577. Defendant pleaded guilty to committing part of the assault. Mr Graham appeared for Mrs Nicholson, and stated the circumstances of the case. Elizabeth Nicholson, on being asked if she were a marriedwoman,replied "rather." Mr Graham: What did you go to Mr Heavey's for ? Mrs Nicholson : I got that there telegram from my husband to-day. I wouldn't put my name down as a married woman if I wasn't one. Mr Graham : Please confine yourself to answering questions which I shall ask. Mrs Nicholson ; So he was. Mr Graham : Mrs Nicholson, will you— Mrs Nicholson ; Let me alone ; I'm excited very bad, rather. Oh, its awful ! Mr Heavey : Did you push me into the public streets ? Mrs Nicholson : I did for my own safety. Mr Heavey : Did you pull my whiskers out of my head ? Mrs Nicholson : I did. You pulled my hair, and tore my " coil" down (laughter). Mr Heavey : Did you bite me ? Mrs Nicholson : Yes I did. [Mr Heavey here advanced to the Bench with his breeches drawn up, with the object of shewing " Mrs Nicholson's teeth," which he informed the Justices "were still there."] Mr Heavey : Did I forbide you to come to my "residence " ? Mrs Nicholson : Ye always tried to get what I had. Mr Heavey : Did I ever invite ye to my house ? Mrs Nicholson : I went for my own, and it was there, and I wanted it. You always tried to stop me getting anything, so you did. You wanted all that I had. The witness here became very violent in her conduct. Mr Cunningham : If you do not restrain yourself, you will be fined for contempt of Court. Mrs Nicholson : Wouldn't you go for your own, Mr Cunningham ? I know you would. (Laughter.) Mr Cunningham : Remember, you are rendering yourselves liable to a fine of £10 for your conduct. Mrs Nicholson : I can't help it. I am excited, so I am. He wouldn't give me my own. Mr Heavey : If I forbade jou to come to my house, why did you ever come 1 Witness : I tell you I wanted my own, and so would any one come for their own. You had my gold rings, and I wanted them for Christmas. Mr Heavey : Did you ever steal anything from my house ? Witness : No I didn't; rather not ! To Mr Graham : I did not strike him until after he struck me. I did not strike him at all, I only pulled his beard. Mrs Maria McGinnis was in Heavy s house at the time of the assault. MiHeavy was making out a form for Mrs Hendry at the time, and he was interrupted by Mrs Nicholson, who came for seme gold rings. Miss Heavy was serving her Heavy asked for 12s. she owed him, and she refused. They then had a quarrel, and Mrs Nicholson caught Heavy by the beard, when they botn "tackled" each other. She called him all the names possible. The Bench : What- were the names ? ■ Mrs McGinnis (looking very much shocked, and blushing deeply): Oh, they were beyond all expression. I could not repeat them. He called her a ; — , and she called him the son of a . (Laughter). Mrs Nicholson : Oh, how awful. Mrs McGinnes continued: Heavy was not drunk. He was making out a ticket for Mrs Henry. To Mr Graham: Mr Heayy did not strike her until she pulled his beard. He caught hold of her hair, and they were folded in a loving embrace, which was abruptly ended by Mrs Nicholson throwing Mr Heavey down the stairs into the street. Mrs Nicholson : [Oh, gracious ! listen to her ! , Mr Heavey: (advancing to the Bench, and drawing from his trousers' pocket a packet of hair (which a person in Court observed to closely resemble horse-hair)— She pulled all them whiskers out of my head ! (Laughter). - Mrs Nicholson : Rather ! ■ The whiskers were examined by the Bench, the clerk, a detective, and subsequetly by several inquisitive constables. Mr Heavey : I warned her plenty of times Dot to come near my house, and jl refused to take her pledges, but she would come. The Bench then carefully considered the evidence, and came to the conclusion that thejassault had really been committed. A fine of 20s and costs was therefore imposed upon Heavey. Mrs Nicholson left the Court, addressing the crowd who had assembled to hear the case in a loud voice, much to their gratification.

This concluded the business.