DISORDERLY BEHAVIOR ON A RAILWAY TRAIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7658, 24 April 1893, Page 2

DISORDERLY BEHAVIOR ON A RAILWAY TRAIN.

At the Resident Magistrate's Coutt on Saturday, before. Mr Stratford, two young men (Qainn and M'Leod) were charged at the suit of the Midland Railway Company wfth violent, insulting, and disorderly behaviour generally, including injury to the Company's property, on the return from the Reef ton races. Mr Blaklston appeared for the prosecuting Company and Mr Joyce for accused. A good deal of evidence was. taken, amongst the witnesses for the. prosecution being Meßsrs John Mitchell, J. Hogg, and Vinaon. But before any evidence could be taken a great deal of valuable time was occupied by the learned counsel in engaging in a legal wrangle, Mr Joyce insisting upon having everything p'oved in reßpect to the existence of the Company before any evidence should be taken. It was very clever and highly legal, no doubt, but it was great nonsense all the same, and needlessly wasted the valuable time of the court 'and the witnesses. It wai a wonder that his worship did not *••

; monetrate in some way to prevent such I !an exhibition of wretched foolery. : The evidence of the witnesses was very strong, and each witness corroborated the other. It was to this effect — that Qulnn and M'Leod were both the woibo of liquor ; that they used very bad .language, . swaggered about, jostled and pdshed Inoffensive persona and trod on ; 1 1 elr toeßi___One_old gentleman, who reaentecTtnis treatment," was" seized "by f he" , threat, and half frightened out of hla wits. They, refused. to_obey_thj_rcqaest3_ ptthi i railway guards ; and M'Leod, who had j been checked In hla wild career by Mitchell in a carriage filled by ladles^ afterwards came and sat himself down opposite Mitchell, and by taunting and insulting" language^did .all he oonld to provoke MKbheff'tb 6bn)mit a breachlof the peace.: pfhire didjio); seem to : be any maierlal differeffpefTas to degree ia ; the conduct of "th^iiwo", though it waa Boughl to be made out at the latter part of the case that M'Leo'd was the worse of the two, and should therefore be more heavily finefiXbut the'ple^ t(ot|uph'ild..; j. Bafore the close ol 'thef^idenol ohjthe first cfiarge waa" oompfefcSa, usual hour for the midday adjorunment, Mr JoyceVapjjlied for an adjournment but hia Worahip imperatively refused, 'thbTigh^latrer on:a short adjournment; waa made^bylfre BJ%c'h. {. ' J__ '. On that portion of the evidence being concluded, his Worship^ proceeded, to writeout his 5 -judgement/ "and the court patie.itjy waited: Having completed it^ he 'then' read it'to this effeot that he had no doubt as to its perfect truth. He "dom^llMShfedMr Joyce on thefabillty o|E hia address, to the Bench on behalf of th 4 'defenc r e, r whloH Was' wdrthy' of "a betteic cause. He had certainly done his best fo r r lils clients. He had no' hesitation In finding defendants guilty of the charg^ laid agalnaff ! item. iTfhe 11 waa aggravated, by thefaotof^B^ many women aha 1 ' b'H iidVe'n being present,' and whp ought ; ; to: be^ . acco,rd|d special pro 1 - Vectiori" from 'sUcK ' 'v?olen f t l "behaviour .and^ , ; ...Otherwise persons would be Intimiclated f rdm availing .tbe'oja elves "of [the. benefijrf.of: those publlb coiiVey'ancea. People ' who pay their fare v are:ebtitled ,tp pr9tectio i n... : Such conduct as apouaed were g ilfcy b^waa ; moat dia'_gustl4^ No doubt tJ a'cteUߧd, ■. were under the Influence of liquor, for one of them yaa ; said tojjhaye ahamhieJ; for; the purpose of having a row. The row commenced on the platform of the Reaffcoh railway station by. the joßtiing of people. He was surprised that the manager at that juueture showed such forbearance ; after which an old man was taken by the throat and disgusting language usedj. rLater on one of the accused tried .to force himself iritb a carjlaga violently, Jand a little boy "was loaeverely Injured thajt Mb collar-bone was thought to be broken, "the" women screamed, and the people were frightened at their shocking behavior. Persons guilty fof.cori'iucitf of \-thia kind Bliould be lent to priaba for tw,o monthsj so as to have their hands, tied; for a time. He was not an advocate fj>r aencling persons to prison, but must be gulde'd by the law. To ome to Court to defend such actions and . express no regret, and employ counsel to ; defend the caae on teohaical points waa a bad feature. However he did not want accused sent to prison, and would give him the opportunity of a fine. He found accused guilty of the charge laid, and considered the conduct very disgraceful, andjfined him in the sum of L 2,. or 14 days' haj:d labor, and pay coats of court (133), and counsel's fee, LI la. ; A good deal more time was occupied In the oases, but eventually Mr Joyce pleading guilty on behalf of M'Leod he got off with a like fine, L 3 14a. Execution was stayed 12 hours to enable M'Ledd lo find the motiey by 10 o'clock on Monday morning.