ALLEGED STABBING AFFRAY

Feilding Star, Volume I, Issue 290, 13 June 1907, Page 3

ALLEGED STABBING AFFRAY

FISHMONGERS' QUARREL. At the Feilding Court this morning, before Messrs W. J. B. Trewin and J. Cobbe, J's.P., Apostolos Rapteles was charged with unlawfully assaulting one Gerasmus Gambitsis, on sth June, causing grievous bodily harm. Sergeant Bowden conducted the case, and Mr Carty appeared for the accused. Andrew Parris was called as interpreter, but Mr Carty objected. The Bench decided in favor of the interpreter. Dr. Willis deposed: On sth June I saw Gerasmus Gambitsis, and treated him for a wound in the forearm; I found a clean incised wound, about an inch long, cut down to the muscles, on the left forearm; I put in two stitches, and dressed the wound in the ordinary way; the wound must have been caused by a sharp instrument; it could be done by the knife (produced) ; the coat (produced) has a cut in the left arm, as also the shirt; I should say considerable force would be required to penetrate the clothing; the next day, 6th, 1 saw Gambitsis again, but not since. By Mr Carty: I saw Gambitsis at 11.40 a.m. on the sth ; the wound was a fresh one, and had been made within two or three hours; it had evidently been washed; the wound was straight across the arm; there was very Tittle to show the direction of the cut; the knife could have caused the wound; when the man came into my room he had a coat on ; the locality of the wound was not dangerous; the skin would cut cleanly where a garment would show a jagged edge: I should have expected to find the blood marks on the singlet round the cut, instead of below it; such a wound would bleed immediately. To Sergeant Bowden: Might have been no marks of blood around the cut in the singlet if the arm was pulled promptly away. would not expect to find much blood on the garments if the wound had beon frequently wiped. Gerasmus Gambitsis deposed: On sth June I was at Conway's house selling fish, about 8 o'clock, I met Repteles there at that time, and he commenced swearing at me; He said "why do you come here when you see I sell fish here?" I said I was j calling at this house for two years ; I Repteles was in a bad temper ; 1 told him not to make a row there, to frighten the people; Repteles asked me if I was going to sell fish there any more, and I said yes; he said. "Then I know what I am going to do now," I then drove on to the front gate of the house ; Repteles was walking alongside, he was swearing at me all the time; just before 1 reached his cart he rushed at me and struck me with a knife on my left arm; the knife cut through my coat and singlet, and into tho flesh; I said, "Ohj you kill me;" at the same time pulling up my sleeve. Witness then took the Bench to the cart iv the Court yard, and explained the occurrence. Continuing, witness deposed: Repteles wore a dark coat, buttoned up, and a black handkerchief round his neck; I was inside the gate when I called to my horse; I passer on the left hand side of Repteles' cart, and so reached my cart; Repteles cart was still inside the front gate; on reaching my cart I drove away to Feilding; I took the Waituna road; I went that way because Repteles was following me; I wanted to keep out of his way; I met no people, and made no complaint to any one; at Feilding, I saw the Sergeat of Police, and showed him my arm, after leaving him, I saw Dr. Willis, who put two stitches in my arm and bound it up; I saw him again next day; 1 know the coat and singlet (produced) ; I last wore them on the day of the occurrence; on that day I handed them to Sergeat Bowden ; I knew the stick (produced), and had it with me on the sth June. Witness then put on the coat. He said the marks were put by Repteles in the coat and singlet, with a knife ; the knite (produced) I can't say ia the same, but it is something similar to the one I was struck with; it is in the same condition as that one I would use myself; fishermen's knives are never clean; there are earth marks on the blade of the knife; we don't get earth stains on a knife by cutting fish; on the sth I was wearing a white shirt similar to the one I have on now; the sleeve was not cut through because it was rolled up; I know the handkerchief (produced), and the marks are blood from my arm; I cannot say where Repteles got the knife, because I did not see it before he struck me with it;

' By Mr Carty : I never said I would not let Repteles stay long in. Feilding; I never had a conversation with Spiro about getting rid of Repteles; Repteles was at Conway's house first; I went there because Conway is my own customer; I never objected to his going there; he can go if he likes; I was frightened to go back after I was stabbed, because Repteles was behind me; Repteles ran away because I had a stick; Repteles did not take off his coat; it would take about 2£ minutes to walk from the house to the gate; I pulled the reins to start the horse going; I did not want to make my horse trot; I gave Repteles several blows with the stick — I don't know how many; I did not have a piece of iron in the cart; I carry one knife in my cart; Repteles had a spring cart; I sold three bundles of fish on the way home, the last at Makino; two places refusing to buy fish; I did not wash the wound before I saw the doctor, but I had a handkerchief to wipe tho blood. I put an advertisement in the paper to apologise to my customers, because I could not servo them with fish, and I wanted the people to know Repteles had stabbed me with a knife; the advertisement was put in by my brother's lawyer; my brother and I spoke about it first and then my brother saw a lawyer; there is competition between the parties, but there is room for all ; as soon as Repteles struck me with the knife, 1 picked up a stick and rushed at him instantly; after I struck Rapteles with the stick, I got in tho cart, and wiped the blood off with my handkerchief; I will* swear Rapteles made the wound. The Court then adjourned till 2.30.