SAINSBURY-CROMBIE CASE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 22, 26 January 1911, Page 5

SAINSBURY-CROMBIE CASE.

! The adjourned case against H. 1 Sainsbury and W. Crombie for 1 breach of the peace was called, Mr •C. H. Mills appearing for Sainsbury. I This case had been adjourned for | the purpose of calling witnesses for • the defence. | James .Lawrie said he was subpoenaed by the defence, but he was . interviewed on behalf of the prosecution. The police asked bin; if he could tell who the men were as!io were fighting, and he replied that they were strangers to him. The police said if he would come and give evidence his expenses would be paid, : but that was no good to him. When he read the evidence in the paper, he volunteered to give evidence. The witness detailed then what he knew of the occurrence on the night of the

[28th December. With a friend he witnessed the scuffle at Durraut's corner. The witness told the constable that he did not know the name of the man who struck Crombie. The

; constable went' over to three men at the Criterion Hotel. The witness told in detail all that occurred at the scuffle and afterwards. He had seen Sainsbury before the fight, He did not see him at the fight. They were all strangers to him at the fight. He saw Sainsbury then in Court. The men he saw were bigger men than Sainsbury. The witness volunteered to give evidence because he was certain that Sainsbury was not there. If he had been he would have recognised him. To the Sergeant: His friend was in an office somewhere in town. It was not a fact that he saw nothing of the fight. He told the constable he saw nothing of the fight. Burgess was with him all the time. The man who was struck was getting up from the ground when the witness first appeared on the scene. He saw Sainsbury once in a train. There were a few words, but lio trouble, over a, ticket on that occasion. He heard the constable say that it was a man named Sainsbury on the night of the affray. The witness did not remember saying anything in reply to this. The constable was not speaking to him. The witness did not reply "he would not be surprised if it was, as | he was a quarrelsome man." He i was^1 prepared to swear that he did j not see Sainsbury there. There were j a lot there, and Sainsbury's was the only face he. could have recognised had he been there. The rest were strangers to him. Frank Conway gave evidence that on the night of the 28th December a young lady came to his house, and shortly before ten Sainsbury came in. He remained a few minutes, and then went away with the young lady. The town clock struck ten a mmute or two after they left. . EL Hester said that he saw Bainsbury and a young lady going up Higu Street about five minutes after It) p.m. on the 28th December. Hecoukl fix the time because he had been m the billiard room, and it closed ntter ten, and ho saw them immediately he cam© out. He heard the clock strike ten. He stopped in the room about two minutes after the clock struck, and then -came out. He was certain of the date, because he was invited to a wedding and did net go. He was not very friendly with SamsburyLeslie Trinder said that he wastaking a. mare to a paddock in High Street opposite London's butchers shop on the night of the 28th December', and a few minutes after ten he saw Sainsbury and a young lady going up High Street. _ . The young lady who was with barnsbury on the night in question was called. She .deposed to being at Conway's on the night of the 2bth December. She resided at Springlands. Her cousin was married1 on that date. She was not at the wedding She left Conway's a little before ten o'clock. She left in Samsbury's company. Sainsbury went right home with her. She lived over the bridge at Springlandis, about a mile from town. . , The defendant Sainsbury went mbo the box. He detailed his movements : on tha day of th© 28th right up to tne time of taking the young lady home to Springlandi. His evidence coincided with the evidence given by other witnesses who had seen him. He left Springlands at eleven o'clock, and came right down High Street. He called at his shop to see if the lights were out properly, and then went across to his' hotel—tho Empire. He was not at the affray at Dun-ants ■ corner. Mr Mills said he would not ask for a further adjournment to allow of the absent witness being present. He we-s content to leave the case to bis Worship as it stood. His Worship said he would have to look carefully into the evidence, and would give his decision .. the next morning. ' '.