SPRAYED WITH OIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 April 1924, Page 8

SPRAYED WITH OIL

COLONEL AND A LADY. “I ’ think it is a pity that plaintiff was not advised to take summary proceedings in the police court.” This was the comment of Judge Shewell Cooper after hearing in the City of London Court of an amazing scene in an office near at hand. Miss Gladys Evelyn Dickinson, The Grange, Whitkirk, sued Colonel James Grimwood, C. 8., D. 5.0., of Coleman Street, E.C., an accountant, for £lO daifiages for assault and £25 damages to clothing. Colonql Grimwood admitted squirting paraffin ovex* Miss Dickinson when she called on him at his office. Miss' Dickinson said she had handed to Colonel Grimwood, an old friend of her late father, some papers' relating to administration. Later she wanted them back, and called several times at his office, but could never get any satisfactioon. One day when she called and asked for them, Colonel Grimwood said, “If you do not clear out I will squirt you with paraffin.” There was a bucket outside his office door. Then he got the syringe full of paraffin, put it at the back of hex’ neck, and squirted.

Judge: How large was the syringe? —lt was an ordinary garden syringe, the same as you spray roses with. He put the nozzle of the syringe at the back of your neck, and squirted? —Yes, and shot my hat off with the force of the paraffin. Witness added that he twice refilled the syringe and squirted her with paraffin. t Cross-examined by Mr. Roome (for defendant) witness denied that her solicitors had refused to take the matter up, or that she had continually asked the colonel fox’ money. Colonel Grimwoood, in evidence, said he was sorry for plaintiff, thinking she had not been properly treated in connection with her father’s will, and for that reason he advanced her £275 to buy a partnership in a firm in Sussex. Of this £lOO was still not repaid. He was aware she was coming, and provided himself with a syringe and a bucket of paraffin; “I can assure youi' lordship I did not do it with a light heart at all. The alternative was to take her to a police court or do something which ■ would make her decidedly uncomfortable without doing permanent hurt. It occurred to me that, after all, paraffin is not a thing from which one can catch cold, and that so far as dress is concerned a few shillings would clean her clothes. I could think of no other way with which to end the most persistent and determined effort to come in and upset my business.” Judge: How many' times did you fill the squirt and squirt/it over her? —The squirt was three times filled, and I should imagine ofie or two went ovex’ her. *

Counsel: Do you seriously tell the Court that she invited you to do it? —She turned her head and said: “Come on then.”

Looking back on it, do you not think that for a man of your age you acted most improperly?—Looking back oxx it I am only too thankful that I acted as I did, and I feel I acted •perfectly properly. Judge Cooper, in giving judgment for plaintiff, ,said he thought £lO general expenses claimed by the plaintiff was >a very moderate sum in the circumstances. In spite of provocation, and he thought there was provocation, he could not say that the assault was a trifling matter. There would be judgment for plaintiff for £25 general and special damages, and for the defendant on the counter-claim, for £ 100.