SEQUEL TO FIGHT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 110, 22 April 1936, Page 6

SEQUEL TO FIGHT

Police Charged Man Who Stepped in CASE DISMISSED More was heard of a street fight cu a rocent Saturday night when Stephen Ryan appeared before Mr. J. Miller, S.M., at the Hastings Magistrate’s Court this morning, on a charge of striking another person in Karamu road. Following the fight a man named Wall was convicted of assaulting another man named Ferguson, and in that case Ryan was a witness on behalf of the police prosecution. His evidence was that he struck Wall after the latter had hit Ferguson, and so put an end to tho fight.

Senior-Sergeant Macnamara prose cuted in the present case, and a plea of not guilty was entered.

The police officer stated that the police were actually on tho scene at the Wall-Ferguson fight, and consequently Ryan had no cause to take tho action he did. It was a severe blow that he struck, for he suffered a fractured hand as a result.

Constable Bowick gave evidence to the effect that he was actually crossing the street to intervene in the fight when Ryan struck the other man. He said he saw Wall kicking Ferguson, who was on the ground. His Worship: What's the cause of the delay in bringing forward this case?

Senior-Sergeant Macnamara said that following the disturbance Wall bad been convicted and the matter of Ryan was referred to the inspector for consideration. Instructions had later eome ■forward to prosecute Ryan. “At the time Ryan had a broken hand and wo would not have arrested him on that account,’’ added the police officer.

“It would have been better to have brought all the cases forward together,’’ commented His Worship. Evidence was given by the defendant, who said that he only stepped into the fight because he saw Wall kicking Ferguson. He went to stop Wall, but the latter attempted to strike him, so witness hit out first. He was not concerned in the trouble between Wall and Ferguson.

His Worship; Did you see the eon stable coming over?

Witness: No. To the Senior-Sergeant, witness denied that he was fond of getting into fights. He admitted that he injured his hand, but it was not sufficient to stop him working on the following Monday. His Worship said that the case was not the usual one of fighting without povocation. Ryan evidently went forward to protect another man. He doubted whether Ryan had the right to go as far as he did, but the information would be dismissed because Wall had practically brought’about the blow by his action in kicking, or attempting to kick, a fallen man.