IN AN HOTEL AFTER HOURS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 28, 3 February 1914, Page 8

IN AN HOTEL AFTER HOURS

LICENSEE'S EXPLANATION ENTERTAINING HIS GUESTS. Percy Rogers, licensee of the Shamrock ; Hotel, was charged at the Magistrate's J Couit yesterday afternoon before Mr. W. ! G. Riddell, S.M., with keeping his j licensed premises open on the 17th January at prohibited hours. Two men ' named James Carson and George Charles ! Ta.ylor were charged with being found j on the premises. The cases were heard together. Sergeant Lewin stated that at 2.20 a.m. he heard two men counting as if playing cards, and heard money jingling on the table. The front door was opened, and two men came out. Witness stopped Carson, who was very much under the influence of liquor. Taylor went up Molesworth-stl'eet. Carson, handed over a bottle of beer to witness, j Constable Chapman brought Taylor back ; j he appeared quite sober. Witness ! knocked at the door Of the hotel, and the landlord said, ".They were guests of mine ; I gave them a bottle of beer each." The landlord knew the name 3 1 of both men, and told witness where ! Carson worked. There was another man ' there named Macnamara, who said he j ha<l been at the hotel that evening, and had been asked • to stay for a game of cards. Replying to Mr. T. Young, who appeared for defendant, the witness stated that Macnamara worked close by, and 1 was a boarder in the house. From the words he heard, witness presumed the men were playing a game of cribbage. Constable Chapman gave corroborative evidence. For the defence, Percy Rogers, licensee j of the Shamrock Hotel, stated that after posting a letter 1 between 10.20 and 10.30 p.m. he met Mr. Carson, and asked j him to come in for a cup of cocoa and j a game of cards. Neither , Carson nor j Taylor had been in the hotel during tho evening. Taylor had a cup of cocoa, J Carson had a glass of shandygaff, and* witness had a cup of hot water. They played euchre till about a quarter past two. 1 Before the men left witness went to the cellar and gave a bottle of beer ! each to Taylor and Carson, who were ! his guests. Witness had known Taylor; for about eighteen months ; he never drank much. Had known Carson for about three years. Macnamara was a boarder. The house was locked, up from 10 p.m. Replying to Sub-Inspector Hendrey, who conducted the prosecution, tho defendant stated that no money changed hauds, and no money was played for. Patrick Maenamara, cabdriver, stated that he boarded at the Shamrock Hotel. Mr. Rogers brought Carson and Taylor in with him, and asked them if they would have a cup of cocoa. In answer to S^b-Inspector Hendrey, witness stated that he drank threo glasses of beer whilst the cards were being played. Carson and Taylor were both sober when they left the hotel. George Taylor stated that ho and Carson had had two drinks each from Mr. Rogers, and on going away he gave each of them a bottle or beer. Carson and witness were both sober. James Carson, driver, MolesWorthstreet, gave corroborative evidence. He slated that he had been at the Metropolitan Hotel previous to meeting with Mr. Rogers, and had had two drinks there. They were defendant's guests during the whole of the evening, and they played euchre. Witness did not know how to play cribbage. After hearing arguments, his Worship reserved judgment.