MANGAWEKA'S EPISODE.

Feilding Star, Volume II, Issue 524, 18 March 1908, Page 4

MANGAWEKA'S EPISODE.

mi THE ASSAULT IN THE SALEYARDS. FITTON FOUND GUILTY. In the Supreme Court at Palmers, ton yesterday, says the Times, Charles Fitton was charged with assaulting William lloach at the Mangaweka yards with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Mr Cooper appeared for the defence. « William lloach stated thai he attended the sale at Mangaweka on February 29 and saw accused there. He had uot seen him for three years. Accused struck him on tho head twice with a hunting crop and knocked him clown, striking him while he was on the ground. Witness was badly injured and medical aid had to be called. To Mr Cooper : He had never sent an offensive communication to accused. Arthur William O'Dwyer said that he had seen the accused strike Roach. Accused used the heavy end of a hunting crop. Charles Gordon Phyn also witnessed the assault, and identified the hunting crop produced as the one used. William Lawrence Green corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. ( Dr. Turnbull, of Mangaweka, gave evidence as to the nature of the injuries. Constable Potter deposed to having searched accused and found on him '. a revolver and cartridges, produced, and a threatening letter from accused to Roach stating that if he did not publish a certain declaration in the Itangitikei Advocate he would again , call on him and bring a revolver. . Charles Fitton, farmer, said that during the last eighteen months he J lived in Mangaweka, he received many offensive communications, which . he believed emanted from Roach. • When ho left Mangaweka he intend- ' ed to take' a tour round the world j and that accounted for his purchas- ' ing a revolver. He went to the l yards at Mangaweka with the inten- ' tion of horsewhipping Roach, but I had no intention of using the butt . end of the whip. j J To Mr Loughnan : Purchased the ! J whip especially to use on Roach. He i hit htm on the head because he was I - unable to hit him anywhere else. He ■ 1 had intended to throw the man down I l . |md beat him, but Roach got away j ' in the crowd, leaving only his head : I exposed. Witness completely lost his x Head at the time. i * The jury returned a verdict of j guilty on all three counts and ac- j insed will bo brought up for sentence : >his morning. j