THE LIMIT OF ENDURANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 34, 8 February 1906, Page 3

THE LIMIT OF ENDURANCE.

A LONG SUFFERING GUM. MERCHANT. James William Rawnsley was charged before Mr Kettle, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday afternoon with assaulting an- eiderly man named Joseph Guy on -November 17 of last year, so as to cause him actual bodily" harm. SubInspector Black prosecuted, the defendant being represented by Mr MeVeagh. ♦». *T , Guy * S versi °n of the affair was tnat he had known Rawnsley some years ago in Whangarei. that he went on the morning in question to the accused s store in Chancery-lane and a-sked nun if he couLd find him (witness) a. hila «t ? um Bcra P"ig. Rawnsley answered. VWre busy, you had better dear ont of this, .Toe.'" Guy argued the point, and upon again being told to dear oat, he turned round to go. His ankle caught m an obstruction of some sort, and hf foil and broke his leg. He did not remember much more until a policeman came along. He had an idea he tried to get up again and couldn't, owing to his ankle being broken. He remembered being taken to the hospital, where he had lain for tbe past twelve weefcs. Ho did not remember having been strut-k by Kawnslev?

Anme Hall and Elsie Hall, however, deposed to having se-en the act-used strike Guy somewhere about the neck. Dr. Gore Gillon deposed to having attended the man Guy in Chancerystreot on the afternoon of November IT. He put one of the man's legs in splints, as it bad been broken ne.ar the ankle, and then sent him to the hospital. He appeared to be. in a slightly dazed condition, and seemed to be somewhat the worse for liquor. To Mr MeVeagh: It would be quite possible for the man Guy to have broken hie a-nkle by stumbling. Constable Mulooley gave evidence as to finding Guy lying on the Eoor of Bawnsley's store with his leg broken. James Wm. Rawnsley stated on his own behalf that Guy approached him on the afternoon in question and asked him for a shilling. He caught witness roughly by the shoulder and pulled him round. Witness told him to go away and proceeded down Chancery-street towards his father's jjutu store. Having followed him. however, and catching hold of witness again, struck him in the eye. The man was in a drunken state and began calling him all sorts of names and kept inviting witness to fight. Witness again avoided him and had reached the store when Guy caught up and grabbing at his waistcoat, clutched his watch chain and broke it, and then aimed another blow at him. Witness then struck at the other man in order to release himself, and Guy staggered back and fell.

William Galbraith, a store.man in the accused's employ, gave corroborative evidence. Similar evidence was also given by Francis Kelly.

His Worship considered that the whole trouble had been caused by Guy's own savage attack on Rawnsley, and the case would therefore be dismissed.