TROUBLES OF A NIGHTWATCHMAN.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 50, 28 August 1894, Page 3

TROUBLES OF A NIGHTWATCHMAN.

The Stipendiary Magistrate bad a onrious case before him to-day. A night-watchman named James Brown, who is also a permanent speoial oonstable, was charged on summons with having been drunk and disorderly at 2 a.m. on the 18th mat Defendant pleaded Not Guilty, and was defended by Mr. Poynton. Constable Casein gave evidence that on tho morning and at the time in question the defendant went up to him and Constable Bishop near the Evening Post corner, and said something about a woman. Bishop told Brown to go away. Defendant blew his whistle and threatened to report witness and his companion for being off their beats. Constables Johnson and Oawin answered the whistle, and Brown loft to report tho constables at the police station. Brown was excited, and lit matchos in order to see the numbers on their shakos. Constable Oawin gavo evidenoe to the effect that his belief was that Brown was drunk, bnt he did not arrest him, because he was aware he was a special constable. Witness had oniy been a month in the Force. Con stable Johnston's evidence was to the effeothat when he arrived on the scene Brown asked him if he (Brown) was drunk. Witness replied " Yes," and took him Borne distance towards the police station, but let him go as he promised to go homo. Brown, ' however, went back to Constable Bishop. Sorgt. O'Malley was oalled, and stated it as his belief that Brown', when first he went to the watobhouse on the morning in qnestion, was under the influence of liquor. Some time afterwards Constable Kenny brought defendant into the lookup, and charged him with having obstructed him. The oharge was not entered, and witness put Brown outside the lookup. Brown returned to the station about 4 a.m., and was again pnt out. At that time defendant complained that he had boen knocked down by Constable Kenny. Constable Grey, who was watohhouaekeeper on the morning in question, gave it as his opinion that Brown was decidedly drunk when he went to the lookup first of all, at 2 a.m. When brought in two hours later, Brown was carrying his false teeth in his hand. Ho abased Constable Henry. Brown's clothes were dirty, but there were no marks on his face. The Harbour Board nightwatchman was called, and said be could not positively swear defendant was sober. For the defence, the dofondant'stated that on the morning in question he complained to Constables Cassin and Bishop of a woman who "haunted" the vioiriity. The poliaemen told him to go away, and ho then blew his whistle and went to tho station to report them. He was not drunk, and he only took a glass of sherry that night at the Empire Motel and another at the Occidental. Some time after seeing Bishop and Cassin, Constable Kenny arrested him, and on the way to the look-up knocked him down. Witness was not locked up. Dr. Chappie stated that he examined defendant about 11 a.m. on the 18th. Brown complainod of pains in his body and witness noticed a small bruise on the left hip. There wero also some fresh scratches on the face. Brown did not present the appearance of having been drinkinar. Ho had known dofendant for a long while, and had always regarded him as a steady man. Several employe's of the New Zoaland Times gave evidence to the effeot that Brown went into the office of that paper shortly after 4 a.m. on the 18th instant, at whioh time bo appeared sober. W. Walker, roaohinist of the Times, gave evidence that Brown might have had a drink, but was sober. The case was adjourned to a fnture day for furthor evidence.