TROUBLE IN A HOTEL

Evening Star, Issue 17227, 17 December 1919, Page 4

TROUBLE IN A HOTEL

LICENSEE FATALLY INJURED, [Pee United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, December 15. As a result of a disturbance which occurred in the Clarendon Hotel after midnight last night, the licensee of the hotel was taken to the hospital about 1 o’clock this morning, suffering from concussion of the brain and a broken jaw, and two young men—Harold P. A. Stapleton, aged 21, and Alexander Coppel, aged 20—were placed under arrest on a charge of assault. The licensee, whose name is Frank Brazier, subsequently died in the hospital, and further developments are expected. An account given by the young men indicates that Brazier’s injury was the result of a struggle in the dark in one of the rooms in the hotel. It was getting on towards 1 o’clock ; n the morning when the constable on duty outside the hotel was informed that there was trouble in the hotel, and on going there he found Brazier lying unconscious in the passage with a wound on his head. In reply to his inquiries the young men stated that they had gone to their bedrooms late, and that Stapleton, after a time, was awakened by bearing somebody in his room. He got to grips with the intruder, but was getting the worst of the encounter when he called to his mate for help, and Coppel rushed to his rescue. The result was that the other man was knocked out, and was found to be the licensee of the hotel. A CHARGE OF MURDER. AUCKLAND, December 17. In tho Police Court to-day Harold Stapleton (20 years) and Alexander Coppell (21 years) were charged with the murder of Frank Brnsier, licensee of the Clarendon Hotel. Mr Singer, for the accused, asked for bail. He said Brasier was interfering with one of tho accused men in his bedroom. The man called to his mate for assistance, and there was a struggle in the dark, with the result that Brasier was knocked down. The injury which occasioned death was caused by him falling. The Magistrate said he* had ordered a post-mortem to get evidence on this point. Meantime he would not allow bail.