MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 469, 30 March 1909, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Bofovo Mr.'W. G. Riddoll, S.M.) THE CUBA STREET RIOT. ASSAULTING AND OBSTRUCTING CONyi'Aßi^^' HEAVY PENALTIES, ' Tour of the participants 'in-tho riot in Cuba ■Street on Saturday appeared at the magistrate s Court yesterday.' Leslie Eustor Gordon bhort was charged with (1) that ho behaved in a disorderly milliner whilst drunk; (2) resisting ConBtnblo Qunyle, und (3) assaulting Constable Doylo. Horace Diuidon was charged (1) obBtruoting Uonstnblo Doylo; (2) .inciting Leslie Short to resist Constable Quayle. Walter Clues and John Kolly wore charged with inciting Leslio Short to resist Constable Quayle. Tim quartette wore all young-men of the. tabouriiitf olass, and each ono woro ft sorry expression. •'. ■ . In tho cas» of Short, who pleaded guilty/ SubInspector Phair -stated that vhou Constable Quayle was on duty, in Cuba Street on Saturday night he noticed accused shouting out and brandishing a bottle of. beor over liis head. The constable approached the man and advised him to get away houie, but the warning was "of no avail, and subsequently' the man had to be arrested. Accused beoaiuo violent and gave trouble all the way. to tho Manners Street police station, collecting a crowd of about 300. peonle. On tho. way to tho station accused kiofced the constable-on tho legs ami on tho body. The oonstabU considered tho prisoner ,was the worst he had over had to handle. Accused said that he remembered nothing of the occurrence, aud did not know that he had beau arrested 'until he woko up on Sunday morning. Ho had' never been before the Court for-anything like this before. '•■■ For acting in a disorderly manner shor.t was fined 405., in default seven days' imprisonment. The other two charges his "Worship. treated as one, and entered a sentence of 21 days' imprisonment in each case, the sentences to run concurrently.' ' i ; Dundon pleaded not guilty to the charge of obstructing, arid guilty, to inciting. Con-. Btable Quayle stated that accused obstructed him whilst he was arresting Short. Accused took ;hold of Short by the shoulders, but he still persisted .when told not to interfere. Accused urged the.-crowd to obstruct the police, eaying "Go on .'boys—give them a go. for it.' He seemed to be the leader, and only for him the prisoner would - have gone quietly. Con'stable Doyle also gave evidence as to the .words used'by accused. Accused had no explanation..to offer.. On the charge of inciting accused was convicted and sentenced to ono month's imprisonment, and on the second charge ho was sentenced to 1-t days' imprisonment, to run concurrently with the first sentence. Accused Kelly pleaded: not guilty. Evidence was to the effect that, he urged tho prisonor "to go on and give it to him," and, later informed the crowd and Short that "that, was it; Short was a hero." Accused was convicted and fined £5, in default U days' imprisonment. A. similar penalty! imposed on' Clues, who was defended by Mr. Meredith. Counsel stated that ncoused was attraoted by a crowd of shouting men, and .was carried away and called out "Hooray." He had the misfortune to be alongside .Detective .Cassells when ho shouted, and the detective arrested him. He was a married man r of' good ■ character, and had never been before tho Court before. ■ His Worship • did not consider Clues and Kelly took as prominent a part in the affair as the other two. At-tho same time it was. the duty of every citizen to assist the police in carrying out their.: work instead of hindering them, _ ..,.;. ::.. .-,'■ . ■" ~.,.. THEFT FROM A BOABDINGHOUSE. Harry EowJes, alias Robertson, pleaded gujlty to a charge of having on February 18, at Lower Hutt,. committed theft 'of .one silver watch, two watch chains, and other articles of a total value of £5, tho property of Geo. Harding aud Michael Donlon.' Chief Detective Broberg ■ stated that-accused and' two other men we'nt to a boardinghouse at tho Lower Hntt ostensibly for lodgings, aud, ' after being admitted, loft again. After _ they had gone the articles mentioned in the information were missed. The matter was placed in the hands of the police, and investigations made by Detective Cassells led to tho arrest of the accused.> . .'.<■• .>.. V.-. .-.' His "Worship entered a conviction and .sentence of three months' imprisonment. -

PUBLICITY THE PENALTY. A re3pectably-dressod young man pleaded not guilty to a charge of having, on March 24, at Wellington,, committed theft of two knives valued at Is.; the property o£ Daniel O'Connor. Inspector Ellison stated that when the caso was before the Court last week counsel for defendant, Mr. Toogood, had asked that the information should be withdrawn. Defendant \ias undoubtedly a respectable young man. He had gone to O'Connor's supper rooms with two friends, and. the police could'produce evidence to show, that the knives were takon by defendant., Mr. O'Connor did not approach the police in tho niattw in any. way. He considered, frqn his point of view, defendant had been sufficiently punished, and Mr. O'Connoi ,was agreeable that the case should be dropped. His Worship remarked that the peTson from whom the knives had been takon and the police considered the publicity given the matter was sufficient punishment for a foolish act. The matter wns a trivial one as far as the amount ,was concorned. Defendant would be discharged.