WATERFRONT INCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Issue 38, 14 February 1929, Page 8

WATERFRONT INCIDENT.

TWO MEN ON TRIAL. ASSAULT AND ROBBERY CHARGE. the j)i;fi;mx\xts' stop v. The trial of Cyril Kivon McKeuna and John Siddciis (represented by Mr. J. J. Sullivan), charged with assault and robbery on the night of December 10, was continued at. the Supreme Court ye.»tcrday afternoon before .Mr. Justice Kennedy. The allegation of the Crown was that on the night in question, near the Albert wharf, at about half-past nine, Walter Easton was assaulted bv the accused McKeuna and Siddens, ami robbed ot a hat, watch and coat valued ;it. C">. Later the same night Frederick • Joseph Rneeboue was assaulted and lobbed of a hat and watch in the same vicinity, and allegedly by the same men, McKeuna. and Siddens. toutinning his evidence. Kneebone said that when lie was assaulted he called for assistance, and his assailants cleared otl'. Two gatekeepers from the Prince's wharf arrived in response to Kneebone's cries, and on being told what Jind happened, and in which direction the assailants had gone, they went in pursuit. Witness waited at the Prince's wharf gate, and about live minutes later the gatekeepers returned with McKeuna. Witness then went to the waterfront police station, and there identified McKeuna, and was also handed his hat which had been lost in till! struggle. Ten days later, at the Magistrate's Court, he identified Siddens from among others as the man who had assaulted him with McKeuna.

In answer to Air. Sullivan, the witness described the clothing worn by the accused on the night of the assault, and also said that when lie identified Siddens at the Police Court Siddens was the youngest of those he saw. William rainier, gatekeeper on the Prince's wharf, said that when lie went to Kneebono after hearing the hitter's cries Kneebone was bleeding at the mouth, and complained he had been assaulted. Witness and another gatekeeper, Brophy, went in search of the assailants, and at the Nelson Street wharf met two men. The latter were asked if they knew anything of an assault which had occurred a few minutes earlier. They denied anv knowledge of it, and when told that*witness and his companion were police officers the two men made a. bolt. Hrophy held McKenna, but the other man got aw ;y, and witness and Hrophy secured McKenna. There were three hats on the ground, and these were taken to where Kneebone had waited at the Prince's wharf gate, and he then identified McKenna as one of the two men who had assaulted him, and one of the hats as his own. Case for the Defence. Cross-examined by Mr. Sullivan, the witness admitted striking McKenna when the latter was struggling on the roadway with Brophy near the Nelson Street wharf. He did not carry a baton, but struck as hard as he could with his fist. Evidence corroborating the last witness was given by wharf gatekeeper Brophy. The accused McKenna went into the witness-box and said that when walking along Sturdee Street on the night of December 10, and when near the City Markets, he met two men, one of whom accosted him and offered to sell a coat. Witness was given the three hats, and was trying the coat on when one of them ran away. Then the two gatemen came along and asked witness where he had got the coat and hats. They then struck him, and he hit back till" Mr. Palmer came up and struck him with a baton. Witness did not see Siddens that night. Stephen Walter Carter, contractor, said that on the evening of December 10 he attended the wrestling match at the Town Hall between Kilonis and McCarthy. He recognised the accused Siddens as the man who sat next to him. He did not know Siddens previously. George Siddens, father of the accused, said although he himself did not go to the wrestling on the night of December 10 he knew that his son Jack did.