ALLEGED ASSAULT

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 June 1937, Page 2

ALLEGED ASSAULT

TWO MEN COMMITTED. [per press association.] BLENHEIM, June 22. , A story of a fight between three men on. the street opposite the Picton war memorial on the afternoon of Sunday, June 6, which resulted in one of them being admitted to the Picton Hospital, was told before Messrs G. M. Blizzard and J. L. Jones, J’s. P., at the Picton Magistrate’s Court and the hospital to-day. Henry William Smith and Leslie Wilson, both employees of Oxley’s Hotel, were charged ’with assaulting Charles Herbert Brogden, causing actual bodily harm. Brogdon’s evidence was taken at the hospital, where he is recovering from a broken leg, a broken rib, and a fractured nose. It was alleged that kicking was resorted to by the combatants. Both accused pleaded not guilty and were committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Blenheim. Brogden in evidence said he was working at the Terminus Hotel, while his wife, from whom he was separated, was employed at Hotel. He made advances to re-establish amicable relations, but discovered she was friendly with Wilson. As the result of a meeting with his wife they quarrelled, and he struck her. Later, he alleged, the two accused arrived and a. fight ensued and he was knocked down and kicked, even after he had told his alleged attackers that his leg was broken.

The police produced a statement, in which the two accused admitted fighting, but denied kicking Brogden. The reason they interfered was that they had been told that he had knocked his wife down. The accused men were allowed nominal bail.