UGLY STREET SCENE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2655, 29 December 1915, Page 9

UGLY STREET SCENE

CROWD FOLLOWINC THE POLICE. Sir. L. M'Kenzie, J.P., presided at a sitting of the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, when a well-known character named Bartholomew Mahoney was charged with disorderly conduct while drunk, ■ and with damaging the. helmet of the arresting constable. Ho pleaded not guilty to both charges. Inspector Hendrey, who appeared for the police, stated that- the accused's conduct on the previous evening nearly led to a riot in the City. In Willis Street the accused passed along the lootpath, ecusing citizens—men, women, .or children—hurling them violently.from one side to the other. Eventually, when arrested by Constable O'Dea, accused resisted, and a hostile crowd collected and followed the police and the arrested wan to the Manners Street station. A man namd Emilo Deslanders, who appeared to be one of the ringleaders ot this crowd, was subsequently arrested and charged with obstructing Constable O'Dea, while the latter was in tho execution of his duty. After certain evidence had been tendered, the Bench remanded Mahoney until this morning, as one of the charges against him could not be dealt with by a single Justice of the Peace. The accused Deslanders had been released on bail, and did not answer when his names was called. He was fined £3, the alternative being seven days' imprisonment. , COLOURED MAN FINED.' A coloured man named Sham Singh, who created a disturbance at the Clarendon Hotel on Monday,- was convicted of damaging a- glass pane l valued at 12s. Gd: He was ordered to make good the damage, and to pay 4s. for the-ex-penses of a witness, and one guinea for tho expenses of a doctor, who had to bo called in to stitch a wound on the accused's arm. OTHER. CASES. William Charles Hill appeared on remand, charged with failing to make provision for . the maintenance of an unborn illegitimate child. He was further remanded until January 5, 1916. Bali was allowed on the usual terms. Joseph Smith, a soldier, who pleaded guilt.y to a charge of using threatening behaviour in Cuba ■ Street, was convicted and ordered to be handed over to the military authorities. For Insobriety, the following persons were fined 10s., with tho option' ot undergoing, 48 hours' imprisonment:— William Tionioy, Peter Hughes, and . Edward Stan ford. Thirteen first offenders were dealt with.