MAN’S LEG BROKEN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20176, 20 February 1940, Page 4

MAN’S LEG BROKEN

SCUFFLE IN HOTEL BAR CARPENTER CHARGED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL Arising out of a scuffle in the private bar of the Coronation Hotel on the afternoon of January 27, 1940, in which one man suffered a broken ankle, Walter Randolph Hogg, aged 52, single, a joiner, appeared yesterday afternoon before Mr. E. L. Walton, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court on a charge of assaulting Walter James Robertson so as to cause actual bodily harm.

Hogg, who was represented by Mr. J. S. Wauchop, denied the charge and was committed for trial at the Supreme Court at Gisborne on February 27. Detective-Sergeant R. H. Waterson conducted the case for the police. A linesman, George Stanley Symons, said he had been with Robertson and Sheridan that afternoon. A man named Pardoe had joined in the general conversation. Pardoe made a statement using an obscene word in connection with a well-known Gisborne man. Robertson replied that he did not know about that as he thought the man referred to had done a lot of good in the town. Pardoe refused a drink offered him by Sheridan, saying' that he had some mates around the corner. He was told that if he did not want to drink with them he should leave the group. As far as he knew neither Robertson nor Sheridan was looking for trouble. “Did Not Want Trouble” An employee of the Gisborne Borough Council, Walter James Robertson, said that Ted Pardoe had joined them and borrowed 6d from Sheridan. He explained that Sheridan was a gentleman and that was more than he could say about the witness. Pardoe had coupled the witness’ name with another man’s and used an obscene word. Both lie and Sheridan told Pardoe to leave them as they did not want any trouble. Pardoe then left the group and returned with his son and started a further argument. They were warned to get out before there was trouble. The next thing he knew of was an attack from behind by Hogg, who struck him about the head with his fists. The accused was pulled off and Robertson got up to defend himself. Hogg put a stranglehold on him and gave him a kick on the ankle. The kick was a deliberate one. There was no reason for Hogg to attack the witness as he did not know Hogg was there. His ankle was still in plaster and quite painful. In Hotel For Hour To Mr. Wauchop, Robertson said he struck no blows and did not know what Sheridan was doing because he was knocked to the ground. The witness had been in the hotel for an hour with Sheridan, and in the morning had had one drink there. He admitted having been a professional boxer. Dr. Norma May Morey, house surgeon at the Cook Hospital, said that as the result of an examination of Robertson she found he had a superficial abrasion on the right side of the head, and an injury to the left ankle, which was very swollen and bruised. An X-ray examination showed a fracture of both bones of the leg at the ankle.

John Harold Sheridan, a labourer, corroborated the evidence of Robertson leading up to the start of the trouble. Robertson had told young Pardoe to get his father away from him. Hogg had grappled with Robertson from behind and both fell in a corner of the bar, the accused striking Robertson several times. The two men were separated, but Hogg renewed his attack and the two fell to the ground once more. After they were separated the second time it was found that Robertson’s ankle had been injured. Threatened with Bottle Cross-examined by Mr. Wauchop, the witness said that the second time Hogg had attacked his friend Sheridan had taken up a bottle and threatened Hogg that if he did not stop struggling with Robertson he would hit him. They had had half a dozen drinks all day. Two barmen in the Coronation Hotel, John Casey and James Adamson Watt, gave accounts of the trouble in the private bar. They had both been assisted by others to separate Hogg and Robertson. Detective-Sergeant Richard H. Waterson said he had interviewed Hogg on February 5 and was given a statement, produced, in which the accused said that when in the hotel he had heard bad language being used. Pardoe, senior, and Robertson were involved in an argument and when he looked around the partition saw Robertson in a fighting attitude as though going to strike the older man. The witness intervened and a blow was struck at him by Robertson, who also made use of provocative language. After a scuffle he had left the hotel at the request of the licensee and said that as he was walking away he noticed that Robertson was walking about apparently normally. When Hogg had returned later to the hotel he learned that Robertson was said to have a broken leg. That was the first he had known of the complainant having a broken leg. Hogg pleaded not guilty and was committed for trial at the forthcoming ■ session of the Supreme Court at Gisborne.

Bail was fixed at £SO, and one surety of £SO.