THE HOTEL FRACAS.
The particulars of the recent fracas in a Napier hotel appears to have boeiv somewhat highly colored hy ]3ariie Rumor. For several days it was freely stated in town that ft fight such as that described by us had taken place in an hotel, and the names of the parties were common property. Hearing the tnle oftch repeated, with substa?itiall.y the sanYo pA.vfclcUln.rs, from so many cluarbers> We deemed it our duty to give publicity to the alleged gross breach ot the law, in order that the proper authorities might inquire into the truth of the rumor. The account as published caused quite a sedation, and during the day we wei'e waited upon by a resident of the t<w"n wjio.avbwcw himself one of tnc principals in the affair. j Ho stated th'ftt the particulars were greatly 'exaggerated, and cxplaWod that llfc and others were " gdiM A dulling in," when a dispute. Aixi!& as to whether one . . Mil laid tldWn his shilling. This led to i high words, and one of the men called our informant a liar, whereupon the ' ™ er> i? ot uimaturall y> struck him. ; Ine blow was returned; and a regular fight ensued.. A gentleman who was in the house", hearing the noi.se, J Went in And trilkl to separate them, biit j muling that he could not do so without ' * involving himself in the brawl lit called the landlord v im dnd Ihc latter, by the ; exeiv?.ss*> yf physical force, separated the tblnbatants, but not before they had severely damaged each other's faces. The statement about the landlord removing > the furniture and allotting the fight .is', 1 we are positively, assured, entirely iur ctWeeh Al^ the furniture removed was . thrown out by .the vombatants. Neither l " did Ihri fight take place upstairs, but they Were taken there to a bed-room to wash : the marks of the fray from their faces I and arrange their dress. When tkere [ the landlord acted the part of peacemaker, and at his solicitation they made ' friends and indulged in a "friendly glass*" They remained in the" hotel Until - nightfall) as they we're". considerably dis-iigut-ed) and then went librae. jlwo_ others who were present have , given iis substantially the same account of the affair. In addition to this Detective i Grace made a searchiug inquiry into the ) matter, and his report will be submitted 1 to the police authorities. It is execeds ingly satisfactory to know that the affair is apparently shorn of its worst feature — " the alleged encouragement given by the 1 landlord* It was this, and this alone, 3 which caused Us to give jmblicity to the i jyacasy which otherwise resolves itself I merely into a public-house brawl, hot too , creditable to those concerned, but for which the hotel-keeper was in no way r responsible.
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Bibliographic details
Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5588, 17 January 1880, Page 2
Word Count
468THE HOTEL FRACAS. Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5588, 17 January 1880, Page 2
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