ALLEGED ASSAULT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXI, Issue 17, 23 January 1895, Page 2

ALLEGED ASSAULT.

At the Polioe Court this morning, Allan Maddook, a little boy ot tender years, was oharged before Messrs T. Carter and W. H. Maoey, J.P.s, with having assaulted Ellen Brennan, a girl also of tender yoars. Tho boy denied having thrown the stone.

Ellen Brennan was put iv the box, and said m answer to her father, who conduotcd the oase, that she was picking gooseberries m her father's garden yesterday afternoon when Allan Maddook and another boy named Taylor came along the road, and the former threw a stone at her, hitting her on the forehead. The stone (which wa3 produced, and proved to be the larger part of a briok) was handed to Maddock by Taylor. Allan told her m the course of his remarks that be would " make it dangerous for ha.-." Mrs Brennan and Mary Brennan a Bister of Ellen corroborated the letter's evidence. Mr John Brennan, tho father, addressed their Worships say'ns? that it was the usual thing for the boys m question to bestow their youthful attentions upon his daughters and becaus9 be Wi uld not allow his daughters to assooiate with euoh sundry admirers some friction had arsen be', ween the families, that was the cause of the trouble. At this stage Mr John Taylor succeeded, after having been eilenced m numerous attempts during tho formality of opening of the oaee, m telling the Bench that it was his boy and not young Allan who throw the stone. Septimus Taylor, 11 years ot age, wan then brought forward and after an admonition by bis father " to tell the truth or you know what you'll got" was put m tho witness box, where he acknowledged that it was he that hurled the missile. Mr Brennan questioned tho boy, only to be informed with a burst of tsars, that he (Mr Brennan) mot him (you g Septimus) m town before the oase and told him that it was young Allan who oast the stono at his daughter and that he (Septimus) was not to go to Court at all or say anything about the ease. Mr Brennan re • entered the box and deniel this, whereupon Mr Maddook intimated something about the gross perversion of the truth. The Benoh thought the evidence rather conflicting, and after Bomo consideration dismissed the case. At the same time they reoognised the evil of stone throwing. Mr Maddoaks said that be had and would always do bis best to prevent the practice. Mr Taylor made a similar promise and the proceedings ended.