WEEK-END HOSTILITIES

Evening Star, Issue 19919, 16 July 1928, Page 5

WEEK-END HOSTILITIES

GRIEVANCE OVER LIOUOR “If a man waited for you to shout he’d be dry all bis life, and be wouldn’t need a prohibition order!” These and other pithy remarks wore hurled across the Police Court this morning from one defendant toanothei. Both were brought up in answer to the charge of fighting in High street on Saturday afternoon, their names being Andrew Reid Paterson and Charles Mitchell. , .. Mr O’Shea appeared for Mjtchcll, who pleaded not guilty. Counsel said that there was a witness called Hussey who could be called if an adjournment were granted. Ho was tho innocent cause of all tho trouble. Paterson pleaded guilty. Constable O’Callaghan said that at about 4.10 p.m. on Saturday he saw the two defendants fighting in High street, near the tramway ticket box, close to the Wentworth. They wore having a stand-up fight, which had started before ho noticed them. Witness was on point duty at the time, and after calling another constable they arrested them. When asked if ho had any questions to ask Paterson pointed at Mitchell and burst forth- “If ho likes to open his mouth let him do so. If he wants to sav nothing I’ll say nothing.” _ Constable Beckwith, in giving evidence as to the arrest, said that Mitchell was perfectly sober. On behalf of Mitchell Mr O’Shea said that at about, the time mentioned his client was in Custom House square with another man. Hussey, who, the name suggested, was Irish. They went over to the seat. Paterson, who was Scotch, was there at the time, and an argument engued. “Yes,” declared Paterson, he (Mitchell) knows why T picked on to him. Mr O’Shea: “Mitchell will say than lie did not attempt to strike Paterson. He did not know whether or not Paterson had a grievance. Mitchell stated that he was talking to Hussey near Jacobs’s corner.' Hussey suggested that they had better go across tile road, and later he passed some remark to Paterson about sitting near a Scotchman, and Paterson an-

swered: “I. suppose the Scotch are as good as you.” Paterson then started fighting with witness, who, however, told him not to be foolish. , Ho saw that the police were about, and ho thought it madness to incur tho risk of arrest. Ho did not know what Paterson could have against him. “ Go back a week from yesterday if your memory will carry you that iar,” interrupted Paterson. Mitchell: “I only struck a blow. At first I thought it was only a joke.”

Paterson; “He put it across ns a week from yesterday, and I can get a fireman to say that it was him who wont away to get whisky and beer with tho money wo had given him. He never came back with it.” To Mitchell: “ You came to us without a ‘triv-'v' ' a>-d drank our beer.” ilchcil; “I had a drink with them from a bottle.”

Paterson, who again aliened to produce i the fireman who could give lurther evidence, said: “He drank our boer and thou went away with whisky and beer money and left us in the SOU)).” Tho Magistrate (to Mitchell): “Did Paterson have any grievance against you?,” Mitchell: “I might have refused to shout for him once or twice.” “ If a man waited for you to shout,’ declared Paterson, “ he’d bo dry all his life, and he wouldn’t need a prohibition order.” Paterson was convicted and discharged, and tho charge against Mitchell was dismissed.