ASSAULT CHARGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 304, 23 November 1937, Page 8

ASSAULT CHARGE

PLEA OF GUILTY. INCIDENT WITH HAMMER. Appearing in the Magistrate’s Court at Woodville, to-day, Harold Colin Drager, a farm labourer, aged 21, of Woodville, was charged that on November 15, 1937, at Woodville, with intent to do grievious bodily harm to Arthur Harris, he wounded Harris. Messrs D.' Keay and H. Galbraith, J.P.’s, were on the Bench. DetectiveSergeant Meildejolm conducted the case for the police and Mr G. Crossley (Palmerston North) appeared for accused. At the conclusion of the hearing accused entered a plea of guilty and was remanded to the Supreme Qourt at Wellington for sentence. INJURED MAN’S STORY. Arthur Harris gave evidence that he was a hairdresser and tobacconist in Vogel Street, and lived with his wife and son at the back of the shop. Witness had known accused for six or seven years and accused had come to the shop on an average twice or three times a week. On November 15, in the evening, Mrs Harris had gone out about 8.30 p.m., leaving by. a hack exit on to McLean Street. After that witness was bathing his son, aged six. There was a knock at the back door, witness opening it and seeing accused there. Accused was dressed in a grey-brown suit (the coat being produced in Court). Accused asked if there was any chance of a packet of cigarettes. Witness said: “Certainly, Harold; I’ll go through.’ Witness walked up a passage toward the shop, accused following him. Witness went behind the counter, accused going too. Accused gave witness a 10s note. Witness lifted out the cash box and put it on a bench, having his back to accused. Witness opened the cash-box, which contained about £SO. Witness changed the 10s note, giving accused the change. Witness was about to put the cash tray back when he Was stunned by a blow on the head; he did not know what had happened. He halfrturned round and saw accused with his hand above his head, holding a hammer. Accused struck at witness a second time, but witness was successful in warding off the blow, rushing in close to him. He then struggled with accused, who lost His grip of the hammer. Witness then tried to escape, as he “was not feeling too good.” He broke away and got as far as. the saloon, but accused had recovered the hammer and was at witness again. Accused hit witness a second time, on the top of the head. Witness was feeling “very groggy” then, and could see he had no chance of escaping, so he started to struggle with accused who, however, hit witness a third time on the head with the hammer. Witness could then feel the blood running down his face. Both tripped and fell, Drager hitting the floor first. Witness seized the hammer and accused put his arms around his head to try to shield himself. Witness then ran for the door and later found the hammei in his hip pocket. Witness had difficulty in opening the front door. Meanwhile accused rushed towards witness, but witness opened the door when accused was five or six feet away. Accused had been looking all round the saloon for something Witness rushed on to the street and called’ out to some men standing by the billiards room four or five doors from the shop. Messrs D. Kemp and p Wigzell came to witness. AVitness was then covered in blood. _ Messrs Kemp and Wigzell accompanied witness into the shop. During the time of the assault witness was calling out all the time to try to attract attention. Witness did not remember accused saying a word. Accused was sitting in the saloon when witness returned. Accused said: “Oh, I do not know why I did this to you. ’ Accused added that a woman had got him “out of his mind” and that he owed money all over the countryside. Previously accused had made certain statements about a girl who, he said, had made certain accusations against him. Witness had not been making statements about accused. The question of the girl appeared to be worrying accused. Witness had taken bets from accused in the previous two years, but there had never been any arguments about them. . Cross-examined, witness said accused appeared grim and frantic at the time of the assault. The cashbox was not touched. EXTENT OF INJURIES.

Dr P. H. Mules, of Woodville, gave evidence as to the wounds suffered by Harris. Witness put ten stitches in the wounds. There was no sign of a fracture of the skull. Witness said to accused at the shop: ‘You had better get out.” Accused walked across the road and started to get into witness’s car. Witness said: “Don’t do that, I’m going home.” Accused looked “a bit stupid.” Cross-examined, witness said he could remember one very hot day,' although lie could not say on which dato that had been. David S. F. Kemp, a billiard-room keeper, submitted evidence as to the assistance given Harris. Witness had said to accused: “Harold, what made you do a- thing like that?” Accused said: “I don’t exactly know, I am half off my head with trouble over a girl.” Witness did not hear anything while he was on Harris’s premises about betting. Accused looked silly and stunned. STATEMENT BY ACCUSED. Detective Compton, of Pa-lmerston North, read a statement made by accused. In it accused said he had been betting with Harris for five years and owed him £3 15s. There had been a difference as to the bets accused could place with Harris. The latter had allowed accused a betting account of £8 or even £lO for some race meetings. Harris had been making statements about accused. He had not been out with the girl for several months. He had brooded on the two matters and had decided to go down to Harris’s shop to “have it out” with him. He had .anticipated “a bit of a scrap” and had picked up the hammer at home. He had intended to use the hammer to overpower Harris, and had not thought of the serious injuries he might have inflicted. Accused had been asked in Palmerston North what he would have done had he knocked Harris out, s.aid witness. He had said: “I think I would have taken the money.” . , .Accused had nothing to say and entered a plea of guilty. He was. as stated, committed to the Supreme Court for sentence at Wellington.