AN UNREPENTANT ROGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 30, 4 February 1916, Page 2

AN UNREPENTANT ROGUE.

OFFERS TO BLOW HIS BRAINS OUT. RATHER THAN LEAVE MARY. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. V\hen charged with vagrancy and drunkenness before Mr. E. Rawson, S.M., at Hamilton to-day, Albert Neary, a well-known character, asked his Worship to give him a revolver and he would blow out his brains. A road worker in the employ of the Raglan County Council said that he was in. Hamilton yesterday when Neary accosted him, asking him for 5/. and inviting him to go along and eec Ma.ry. Senior-Sergt. Casselle explained that Neary was a nuisance about the place, and lived with a woman of low character, already referred to as Mary. Besides being frequently under the influence of liquor himself, he was always on the lookout for lambs from the country and drunken mon, whom he shepherded round to Mary. The woman was not his wife, though he had lived with her for a lengthy period. Xeary, when invited to explain his conduct, excitedly and emphatically denied the truth of the charge, declaring that he was an honest working man. and that no purer woman lived on the earth than Mary. He added that they had lived together for 19 years, and that she was the mother of his children, two nf whom were at present at the front. "No one interferes with us but the police," declared Neary. The Magistrate told the accused that he was a disgrace to his family, and an incorrigible rogue. He was sorry that he could not deal with him as a rogue i and vagabond, else he would have given I him the full penalty of the law. As it was. the prisoner would be sentenced to the full term of three months with hard labonr on the vagrancy charge and to 14 days with hard labour for drunkenness. Neary (excitedlyl: The best thing you can do is to give mc a revolver, and I will blow out mv brains. In answer to the Magistrate. Peniorj Rergt. Cawclla said that Neary was J bound to return to Hamilton on the expiration of hiH sentence. His Worship: Then T will prohibit him in the counties of Waikato and Raglan. Neary: Then what am Ito do? The best thing is to blow out my brains. ; ITis Worship: Go to work.