LIVELY COURT INCIDENT

Evening Star, Issue 18532, 15 January 1924, Page 2

LIVELY COURT INCIDENT

A DELIBERATE LIE. Peeling ran high for two brief periods in the Magistrate’s Court at Wellington on Wednesday last (says a local paper), when the prosecuting police _ officer and counsel crossed lanocs over points of procedure in a case of alleged pocket-picking. Counsel had complained of the identification methods used for one accused, _ a colored man, it being explained by a witness that about two dozen photographs had been shown him, and from these he had selected that bearing the likeness of accused. “I then recognised the same man in a room on his own,” added witness. Counsel! And I suppose the police said; “This is your manl” Witness! No. Chief-detective Kemp; What did they say? WitnesSi They said: "la this the man?" I replied that it was. Yon told us that accused' was a nigger?—Yes, 1 explained that he was a dark man. So there would be no use putting him among a lot of whites on a parade, would there?—No. Not at all events unless we blackened their faces. “Or tarred them," suggested witness amidst laughter. Counsel: Are the police in the habit of blackening men’s faces ao well as their characters? Chief-detective Kemps I suppose you think that’s smart? Counsel t I was merely asking a question. Chief-detective Kemp (hotly): Ask that question again and I’ll answer it. I’ve been able to answer all the questions you’ve asked in court lately. “I want to get back to the office,” quietly interposed counsel for the other accused. Peace, however, was only temporalily restored. There was another breeze hiring the course of a lengthy cross-examina-tion of the chief police witness in the second case. Witness had made the observation that he was glad to get ifiside his club after he had left the accused men (one of whom he had suspected of robbing him). The remark brought from counsel the allegation that witness had repeated the answer after the chief detective.

“ No,” protested witness; “ I said It first.” , Counsels You said it after tho chief detective. Chief-detective - Kemp (rising from bis Beat] ! If roll say that’you - are telling a deliberate lie! . V . and you can keep your distance. . '. . Don t go looking at ray papers;,; Counsel: No one wants to see your papers. Here’s another one you had better have.; , 1,. ’ll.say he did repeat that remark after "you, and no one knows that better than yon. : “I say. again,” continued the chief detective heatedly,. *' that you are telling a. deliberate lie.”, ' Counsel; That’s absolutely false. . , , I’m' conducting this examination, . and I don’t want answers put in the witness’s mouth. “ Personally,” commented Mr A. A. Whitelaw, J.P.,, “I wish you would go on with the case.”