THE SELWYN PLAGE DISTURBANCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXX, Issue 221, 18 September 1896, Page 2

THE SELWYN PLAGE DISTURBANCE.

COURT PROCEEDINGS. THE CABBIES AND THE CHIEF MATE. At the Magistrate's Court to-day, before Mr H W. Robinson, S.M,, and Messrs Everett and H Baisrent, J.'s.P., William Sutton, cab driver, Fredorick William Haase, cab proprietor, and William McOonchie, of Richmond, atablekeeper, were charged with haviug on the 9th September assaulted and caused actual bodily harm to Alfred Stinton, mate of the barque Lochnagur. The court wai ciowded, tnd considerable interest waa taken in the proceedings. The three informations were laid under section 184 of the Criminal Code, which gays : — " Evory one is liable to three years' imprisonment with hard labour who assaults any person so as to cause him actuiil bodily harm." Mr Pitt appeared for the aoeuserl. Sergt. McArdle applied that the ease be token under summary jurisdiction. The police wished to amend the information to this effect as the man Stinton had recovered from his injuries, which were at first thoughD to be more serious that they were. Mr Pitt agreed to this course. He pointed out, however, that fresh information fur common assault; would have to be laid. The information, having accordingly been amended, the three accused were then charged with committing ti wanton and unprovoked assault on Alfred Stinton. They all pleaded not guilty. His Worship said there was a Bimilar information laid against William Orsman, and probably this could be heard with the oihcrs. Mr Pitt said that so far as Orsman was concerned the information against him was founded on a misconception. Sergeant MoArdle said tho information against Orsman arose out of the same affair as that for which Sutton, Haase, and McConehio were charged, William Orsman, of St. Vinoent-street, contraotor, was then charged with assault, and pleaded not guilhy. Mr Pitt appeared for the accused, and tho hearing of tho four informations coDjointly was proooeded wilb. Sorgt McArdle Raid thakthe informations were vow laid under Section 15 of the Criminal Code. Evidence would be brought to bliow that the alleged assault had been premeditated. The sceue and uproar on the night of the affair were enough to terrify the neighbourhood. All witness having been ordored out of Court, Mr Pitt said he would like to under' stand definitely whether Orsmau was pharged jointly with tho other three defendants. Sergeant MoArdle said he could not charge Orsnmn with being concerned in the premeditation of the ofl'ence. Evidenae was then heard as follows •■ — John Astlc, cab driver, said ho remembered tho evening of tho OLli September. About (i 45 o'clock lie wont to the Port at defendant Sutton's request. Sutton said he expected Stinton was going to meet Mrs Button and asked \yitne a to watch if he met her in .Collingwood-streeti If so witness was to tell Suttqn. Sutton said ho would got ](aaso to watoh the Couno 1 lane, and he thought also that McConohio would oomo down, Stilton himself wag to watch at tlio buck of tho house. On going to tho Port witness mot Stinton and a friend coming towards town, It was dark Chen and witness came up Bridge Street, keeping tho two in view until he lost sight of them in Collingwood Street, uoar tho Hall. Witness, who was then near Mr Trask's, walked down Solywn Place, and heard soreaining. He listened Cor a littla while, having walked down Hardy Street) and returned to Button's place, where he saw Mrs Sutton standing in front ol Stinton. Witness also saw Jlaase, McConohie, Wimsett and Sutton, At that time Stinton was inside Sutton's yard. Haase was wrangling with Wirasett. Witness caught bold of Haase, He heard Mrs Suttoa say "You shall not hit him, Willie," There were two " Willies" there at the time— nor brother (McConohie) and " Wlliie" Stinton, Witness saw McConchio hit. Stinton. Quito a crowd had gathered by this time, and McConchie said to Stinton "Clear out of this, you scoundrel," Stinton went away towards the Cathedral steps. Witness saw Sutton trying to strike Stinton, but Mrs Sutton was shielding him. Sutton said to witness, " I cannot hib him any more; my thumb is put out." Witness left soon after tliat, and when going Suttou asked him to go up to Haase's to bring bis horses home, which he did. Before reaching the Church steps witness saw a crowd round someone. He noticed William Orsman, who wa9 there, hit Stinton on the side of the face. Oilman did not have anything in his hand. Witness saw Mr Bethwaite there and heard him say he would take charge of Stinton until the polioe oame. Alter, wards witness saw Stinton walking away with Mr Bethwaite towards the Post Office, Sutton had told witness that he bod seen Stintou getting over the fence at his (Sutton's) place and be had knocked him down with a whip and would " give him all he wanted." Cross-oxamined : Witness thought the friend with Stinton was the second mate of the Loohnagar. Witness was quite close to Orsman when he saw him strike Stinton. Ha was quite sure it was Ora. man. ' ' To Sergeant McArdle: Witness saw Sutton having hold of Orsman's bauds,

t telling him bla troubles, He was positivo time ifc was Orsman whom he Baw strike Stinton. Arthur Frederick Wimsett, letter carrier at the Nelson Post Office, deposed that on the evening of the 9th September, when near Dr Mackie's, his attention was called hy two sharp cracks of a whip. He heard a scuffle in tho direction of Button's yard, Selwyn Place, and, running that way, he heard a groan. Hearing a man say " You , Sutton, I'll either choke you or strangle you," witness stopped and, looking through the hedge, saw a man holding Sutton by the thruat. A third man came on the scene with a light hat. This man struck Mie one holding button, knocking him to the ground. Sutton commenced hitting the man on the ground with a stick or a whip. Witness did not then know who the man wearing the light hat was, but he had since ascertained that it was William McConchie. The man lying on tho ground was Stinton, and he said "You have had enough. Now knock it off," Witness recognised Haase by his limp, and saw him hit Stinton as he lay upon the ground. Mrs Sutton, who was there, said : "Don't Will, you will kill him," and the called "Murder!" and "Help!" Witness rushed in, and, catchiug Sutton by the neck, pushed him away, and, thinking they were striking Mrs Sutton, said " You cowaids, striking a woman !" He stood in front of Mrs Sutton and held his hands up to shield her. He called to several persons who stood on the road near watchlng^to come and help, but they didn't come. Sutton and Haase between them pushed witness away, and Haase said " Don't you interfere with ns. We have laid this plot for him. Stinton has mined his (Sutton's) home, and will get his due to-night," Witness again saw Suiton hit Sunton over the head and shoulders until the stick broke and went flying in the air. Sutton thereupon grabbed witness's stick. Haase then said " I am the best fighter in Nelson; Don't you come interfering with us," adding " Now you clear— Go !or I will hit you." Witness said " Give mo my stick first" and stepped back two yard " ready for him," Haase then left witness and rushed towards Stinton and Mrs Sutton, and Haaso and McConchie pulled Mrs Sutton away towards the dooi oi the house. She had been standing in frout of Stinton " screaming and fighting like a tiger." Leaving Mn Sutton, MoCoachie jumped on S tin ton and kicked him, while Haase kicked him about the body. Witness stepped back into the street disgusted at seeing "so many gentlemen standing round offering no assistance." Witness also saw Orsman strike Stinton, bnt oould not say whether the blows ranched the man. Witness saw Mr Bethviraito take care of Stinton, who was followed by a orowd "hooting." When witness got his stick back it was covered with blood. On Thursday evening Haase met witness aud said, " You didn't see me kicking, though, did you Wimsett?" Haase pulled up his trousers and said, " Look where that woman kicked me," to whiob. witness replied, " It looks pretty old." Sutton also saw witness and said " I have a post-card here in my pocket from Cook and Son. They say they have shipped by the Maori for Capetown." Witness understood this to refer to Mrs Sutton and Stinton. Sutton, continuing, said " I would have followed and stabbed him to the heart." Cross-examiaed : Witness could n< t say how long the affair lasted . He did not notice what coat Orsman wore, but recognised his face. Haase ran past witness and bit Stintun with a stick or a whip. He did not remember Haase singing out " Help, Willie 1" Witness was quite sure he was in Sutton's yard while Stinton was there. Witness did not strike Haase— nnless by aoeident. Witness did not apologist! to Haase for having struck him, but admitted having said he was sorry he had interfered. He would swear to Haase saying "We have laid the plot." To Sergt. McArdle : It was Haase who first gave witness to understand that it was Stinton who was being beaten in the yard. The Court then adjourned till 2-10 p.m. On the Court resuming at 2'lo p m.. Charles Hugh Webb-Bowen, Clerk of the Magistrate's Court, gave evidence. He heard eoreams of a woman's voice, and was unable to locate where they oarne from until he nearad the Council Chamber. There wereoriesof "Help," and "Murder," Witness saw a man with bis face oovered with blood, and apparently much knooked about, struck by another man with bis fiat. Tho man who struck appeared to bo wearing a white handkerchief about his neok. Witness also deposed as to hearing Mr Bethwaite remonstrate, and saying he would proteot the man who was being knocked about, Ultimately Mr Bethwaite took the man to his ship. It was quite a quarter of 'an hour from the time witnes3 first hoard the screams until Mr Bethwaite put the man into a oab to take him to the ship. By Mr Pitt ; Witness oould not tell what direction the screams came from, Dr Leggatt deposed as to having attended Stinton ou the ship Lochnagar on the morning after the row. The man's face was terribly disfigured— almost unrecognisable. The eye was full of blood aud the nose was hardly discernible. All over the rest of the face there were marks of blows, and behind the right ear was a contused wound, another on the right side on the top of the head, besides three smaller wounds on the lett side. The scalp was pulled and swollen, A heavy coaD had protected the man's body. Some of the injuries must have been caused either by a kick or some blunt iustrument— the others mo9t probably from blows of the list. Under treatment the patient recovered very rapidly. John Hart Webley, a lad, also gave evidence as to the disturbance. Witness saw Haase, Sutton, and another wh >in he afterwards ascertained was McCouchie hitting a fourth man. Mrs Sutton was shielding the man assaulted, and crying " Police I " and " Murder ! ". Witness saw Orsman there and also saw Mr Bsthwaite takiug Stiuton away covered with blood. The brawl lasted about ten minutes, while witness was there. About 30 or 40 people had gathered. Cross-examined : Haase aud MiConchie both had sticks at the time, To the Bench ; Witness saw Oisman in front of Mr Bell's. Ho said something to Mrs Sutton, and she broke a stick iv half and threw it at him, William Bsthwaite mainly corroborated the evidence given by other witnesses as to the disturbance.' Witnoss rocognised Haaso as one of tho men in tho row. TJioro was another with a white handkerchief round his neck. Olio of thorn asked witnoss to lot him have his stickto " give it to tho — '' Witnoss declined and tho man then asked someone else for a stick. The sauio niau said " Ihave got him at last and I'll do for him." This man was vory excited — inoro liko ft wrld benst than a human being. Witness saw tne person with tho handkerchief spring at Stinton and striko him across tho face with a stick. Witness sprang between thorn and protootod tho uiuto, lit which House cried " You ought to be ushiunod of yourself Mr Buthwiute, you tlon't kuow what ho has clone. Ho has brokon the peaco of a respectable man's homo." Witnoss replied " 1 don't know what he has dono, but I am not going to stand by quietly and sou a, man inurdored, If he he has dono anything and he ought to be arrestod. I will keep him here until the police come." Witness iold Stinton, who had his hands to his faoe and seemed dazed— to follow him. They went towards the Post Office, where Stinton was put into a oab and driven away. To Sergt. McArdle : Witness could not identify any one of the acouaed as the man who Btruck Stinton when he (witness) sprang between them. It was not Haase. To the Bench: Witness knew Orsman, bub did not see him in the row. {Left Sitting),