SINGULAR DRUNKEN AFFRAY IN HOBSON-STREET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6362, 8 April 1882, Page 5

SINGULAR DRUNKEN AFFRAY IN HOBSON-STREET.

TWO MEN INJURED. A sisgoi.ar. drunken affray took place yesterday afternoon in the vicinity of tho Prince of Wales Hotel, Hobson-street. The old hotel has been pulled down, and the business is being carried on at the back of the allotment in temporary premises. Adjacent to the hotel on the allotment is a stable, and it appears that about - 2 o'clock some four or live persons (the identity of some of whom is not yet known) adjourned to the stable, a:-.d commenced arguing, and linally wrestling touether. One of them, a man named William Reynolds, who described himself as "a gentleman," got the_ best of it, and a quarrel ensued, during which Reynolds got hit about the head. He immediately went home (o his residence, which is at the corner of Hobson-street and Cook-street, on the same side of the road as tho hotel, procured his revolver, and returned to the scene of the assault. The accounts vary as to what took place then. On one hand it is stated that he drew the revolver, when he was disarmed by one ot his former assailants ; on the other that he di<l not draw it till attacked. Be that as it may, it was wrested from him by one of the party, who fired off the charges in the air, and made oil' with the weapon. An old man, named Robert Alexander Brandon, who was on the scene, endeavoured to aet the part of peacemaker, but was knocked dowu by one of the party, and got a severe contused wound on the forehead and month. Dr. Hooper, who was called to see to Brandon, recommended his removal to the hospital, which was done. Brandon was unable to give any rational accouut of the atVray. On being placed in the accident ward, in reply to the question " What was his religion ?" (for tho purpose of putting it on his bed ticket), he said, he was "a Collegian." Sergeant Kidd was early on the scene the alfray, but the parties concerned had cleared out, and the victims, Reynolds and Brandon, were rather hazy as to what took place. The barman in charge of the hotel at the time for the lessee, Mr. MacCormack, a man named George Hurry, was also uualilc or unwilling to give Sergeant Kidd an intelligible or satisfactory account of the affair, and the police were left to do the best they could in the way of getting information. Fortunately Mrs. Reynolds followed her husband dowu to the hotel when he came home for- bis revolver, and she will be able, it is believed, to identify the parties concerned. At a later hour Detectives O'Sullivan and Brciinan proceeded to the house of Reynolds, and after some parley with his wife, who said he was uot in a condition to see anyone, succeeded in obtaining some information. They have reason to believe that they have got a clue to the men concerned, and will have no dillicuHy, notwithstanding the reticence of certain parties, in ascertaining their identity. __^__^___________