ALLEGED SLY GROG

Evening Star, Issue 14532, 7 December 1910, Page 5

ALLEGED SLY GROG

IN TEA ROOMS. CHARGE DISMISSED. Margaret Parker waß charged before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., in the Police Court to-day that on October 9, at St.. Kilda, she did unlawfully sell intoxicating liquor (beer) without being duly licensed to sell the same, she having been once previously convicted on December 3. 1909. Mr W. C. MacGregor appeared for defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Sub-inspector Phair prosecuted, and called evidence. Witnesses wero ordered out of court, and there was a bit of "barneying " over counsel asking that the " informer" (Constable M'Millan) should retiro. Tho sub-inspector took exception to the term, and said that if such remarks were going to be made so early in the case it was hard to know what would be said later on. Hi 3 Worship remarked that thero was really nothing objectionable in tho term. Constable M'MiLla > said that ou Sunday, October 9, at 8 p.m., he was at tho Grand Pacific tea rooms, St. Kilda, which are kept by tho defendant. He went inside, and defendant brought him a glass of draught beer He offered to pay for it, but defendant refuse J, saying " I'm shouting.-' Then defendant went into a room off the passage, and brought out on a tray two glasses containing "what appeared m bo beer. He heard tho rattling of coins. Tho glasses of liquo" were taken through the passage to a room, and shortly after two men left. Then a man entered-the kitchen, where witness was, and after some conversation this man (William Riddle) said: "What about shouting?" Witness replied "All right." Defendant was also hi the kitchen, and witness said to her: " Will yo-t sell me a bottle of beer, and we'll have a drink f Defendant said she had no more. Riddle said : " Give me the half-crown, and I'll get it." Riddle went cut of the kitchen, and defendant followed him. A little later Riddle cam" back with a large bottle of pale ale, and gave witness -Is 6d in change. Defendant, Riddle, and he drank the ale, and a glass of it was given to another man (M'Kay) who camo into the klLchen. Shortly afterwards Riddle asked for another shilling, as he had only a sixpence, and said he would get another bottle of beer, which he eventually got. It was disposed of Ly the same quartet. Some three-quarters of an hour later witness, when about to go home, asked defendant to sell a bottle of beer to him, offering 2s to her. She said : " I have no more." Riddle asked for tin money, remarking that defendant thought that" witness was a policeman. Riddle got another bottle of ale. The quartet again drank the ale. Witness then went home On each occasion when Kiddlo asked for the money she was in the kitchen, and could have heard what was said. To Mr MacGregor : It was true that on a former occasion in the court he had admitted that ho told a lie, but not a number of ties, to induco defendant U: supply him with drink. Counsel: Ones a liar, always a liar, I should saw

Witness admitted that he- had said he had t°t liquor from defendant on four occasions during tha fortnight he was about defendant's tea rooms. Ho was in plain clothes at 'he time. He did not think that he had played Mrs Parker a dirty trick. He did his duty. Witness explained that the money he had spent had been refunded to him by the Police Department. Counsel: "So yon need not trouble about how much you spend sp long as you get what you call a good case. Now, Mr M'Millan, I put it to you: Don't you think this is a dirty trade you have got into ?" His Worship informed witness that lie need not answer such a question. William Riddle, carpenter, residing at Wyndham, said In remembered meeting in Tattersall's Hotel a man named M'Millan, from Queensland, who was looking for a barmaid. Subsequently he met M'Millan in defendant's tea rooms, on the Sunday efternoon in question. Witness said he was not at defendant's house that night. Tho story of witness differed from that of M'Millan. It was to the effect thht M'Millan asko 1 him to get beer from Mrs Parker, that she said she had no and that he bought a sixpenny bottle of hop beer and a packet of cigarettes with M'Millan's shilling. He swore that he had no more drink that evening, and that M'Millan authorised him to buy the cigarettes. It was true that he signed a written statement to a constable in Wyndham. He admitted thit he came to Dunedin last Mtnday. but swore that he had not seen defends nt since. Counsel objected to the sub-inspector quotinj from the statement. The evidence of Wilbert i'earce, bottle storekeeper, and James Rriggs as to the quantities of liquor supplied to defendant was admitted. Counsel mentioned that the police would not givo back the liquor they had taken, although they had promised to do so promptly. Th's was more persecution. His Worship said he worked out the amount, and the average for one person was five pints a day. Counsel: Yes, and many a man in England can drink twenty pints a day.' Sergeant Emmerson's evidence on a for mer occasion as to the execution of the search warrant was also admitted. Mr MacGregor submitted without argument that tho case must be dismissed, owing to tho evidence being totally insufficient and contradictory. His Worship dismissed the case. Counsel raised the question as to the returning of the liquor seized, and the subinspector said it would bo returned.