THE RIOT IN QUEEN-STREET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7106, 26 August 1884, Page 6

THE RIOT IN QUEEN-STREET.

THE ACCUSED AT THE POLICE COURT.. At the Polioe Court yesterday morning the men and larrikins arrested on Saturday night were charged before Messrs. A. Board man and F. G. Clayton, J.P.'a, with creating the disturbance which was detailed at considerable length in the Hkbald of yesterday. The Court-room was crowded, and there must have been fally 600 in the buildifig. The Court orderly bad frequently to enjoin silence, and on one occasion the Bench threatened to clear the room and have any persons arrested for contempt of Court if silence waa not preserved. Superintendent Thomson represented the police authorities, and con- i dueted the cases concerned in this row. | Mr. Tbeo. Cooper and Mr. C. Madden also appeared on behalf of Walmsley and Butler respectively, who were two of the ringleaders in the emeuU. The first case called on was James Marsh, who was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Wellesley-street, and with a breach of the Vagrant Act, by using obscene language in Wellesley-street, on Saturday night. Acsused pleaded guilty. Constable Carroll deposed to the conduct of the accused at the entrance to the Markethouse on Saturday night. Superintendent Thomson said this prisoner was the cause of all the riot on Saturday, and it was one of the worst rowb ever witnessed in Auckland. It had attracted one of the largest conoourses of people seen in such an affair, and amongst them were the scum of the city, in the shape of the lowest, hoodlums, ic. He would press in this and the following caiea for the severest penalty the Bsnch oould inflict. He felt it his duty to do so," if 'the police were to be upheld in their endeayonrs to preserve the good order of the city and to put down the growing evil of larrikihism: The case was. put back .until the other charge* had been heard. Thomas Walmsley was charged with unlawfully assaulting Constable White, while in the execution of his duty; also, with unlawfully obstructing the same in the execution of his .'duty; and, also with rescuing a prisoner, whose name was unknown, from Constable White. Mr. Theo. Cooper, who appeared for defendant, pleaded not guilty in all three oharges, and applied for a remand on behalf of the accused, as he said he had a good defence. He had heard Mr. Thomson say he would press the case on at ouce. He (Mr. Cooper) urged his application for a remand, and that the defendant might be allowed bail. Mr. Thomson said he wished tbe case to be gone on with. Mr. Cooper again urged his application for a remand, and upon sit'.ing down, was greeted with stamping of feet in approval. Tbe Bench immediately said if the latter occurred again they should have the Court at once cleared, and any person seen making any demonstration would be arrested for contempt of Court. Mr. Thomson then offered to pat the case at the bottom of the list. Mr. Cooper protested against snoh an adjournment ; he wanted time ; he could not get his witnesses together; he wanted justice done to this man. His client was entitled to the remand. The Benoh remanded the case to Wednesday with substantial bail. The bail to bo £50 in his own recognisances and two sureties of £25 each or one of £50.

Alfred Butler was charged with assaulting Constable Keaney while in the execution of his duty; with resisting Constable Keaney in the execution of his duty, and also with damaging a shako, badge, and •ilver number, valued at 20s, the property ot Constable Keaney. Mr. C. Madden pleaded not guilty for the defendant, and applied for a remand to Wednesday, accused to be allowed bail, which wonld be forthcoming. The Bench remanded the case to Wednesday, and allowed bail in a similar amonnt to that of Walmsley's. Patrick Carroll waa charged with unlawfully assaulting Constable Carroll by striking him on the head with his clenched fist. Accnsed pleaded guilty. Constable Carroll said he was present on Saturday, and had been ■truck on thn head by the accused. Mr. Keesing, who was walking up Queen-street with Mr. Superintendent Hughes, of the Fire Brigade, on Saturday night, saw the row, also the assault oommitted, which in his opinion was quite unprovoked. The accnsed said h* had nothing to say in defence of bis conduct. This case was also put back.

Edward Kyan was charged with assaulting Constable Kelso in the execution of his duty, with resisting Constable Kelso in the execution of his duty, and with damaging a shako, rained at 12s 6d, the property of Constable Kelso. The defendant pleaded uot guilty to all three charges. Constable Kelso, who was one of the constables endeavouring to quell tbe riot on Saturday, deposed to seeing the accused urging the mobon, and to striking and assaulting the constable while in the execution of his duty. He had no doubt as to seeing the accused commit the assault. Defective Hughes corroborated thn testimony of the constable, and said he saw Ryan and another of the rowdies, named Freer, calling on the crowd " to go for the police," and to urging them on. He with others were endeavouring to rescne a prisoner named Butler. Mr. James Philp deposed to seeing "the accused struggling and scuffling with the constable when arresting the defendant, and to seeing them both rolling on the street together. Mr. Thomson said the accused was also wellknown to the Court, and was a larrikin of the worst description. < Hichard Irwin was charged with assaulting Sergeant Gamble in the same fracas. He pleaded not guilty. Sergeant Gamble deposed to seeing the row in question ; there were upwards of 1000 people present. Heard the accused inciting the mob to "hit the b— constables," and saw the accused hopping about like a wasp. The defendant also struck the sergeant a violent blow in the eye (the effects of which were quite visible yesterday) with what he thought a stone in bis hand, and considered tbe accused ths worse larrilda in the city. Detective Hughes deposed to seeing the accused kicking the sergeant and Constable Keaney while they were endeavouring to arrest the leaders in the riot on Saturday nigh'... When he himself was kicked be tamed round and always saw the accused behind him.—The same prisoner was also charged with assaulting Constable White while in the execution of his duty. Constable White saH : On Saturiay night, about eleven o'clock, he had arrested a prisoner for disorderly conduct, and had brought him down Queen-street to opposite the Union Bank, when he was surrounded by a mob, amoogst whom was the accused, who kicked him frequently, and bad been inciting the mob "to go for the constables." Sergeant Gamble saw the accused kick Constable White in the thigh. The same prisoner was also charged with assaulting Constable Keaney in the same emeuie, and plukded not guilty. Sergeant Gamble said he saw the accused rushing in, and giving Constable Keaney frequent kicks. The accused said it was false. Tho sergtant said the constable was more of a football than anything else. Constable Keaney said he was so busily engaged that he coutd not see the accused. luck him. Detective Hughes saw tbe accused commit the assault in question. Mr. Thomson withdrew a fourth charge of inciting tha mob to continue the row.

Percy Freer, another larrikip, was charged with inciting Thomas Walmsley to resist Constable White while arresting Walmsley. Uo was also charged with damaging a hat, valued at 10s 6d, the property of Detective Hughes. He also paid a compliment to the assistance the police had received from several civilians on this occasion, and but for their timely aid, they would have fared a great deal worse than they did. Superintendent Thomson also endorsed this statement. Deteotlve Hughes gave evidence, and produced the remains of bis hat. Sergeant Gamble knew the accused, and saw him take part in the fracas. He was a well-known larrikin, and had been before the Court on several previous occasions. Constable Kelso gave evidence as te seeing the defendant take a very prominent part in the above row. Mr. Thomson said these were also the defendants concerned in the row on Saturday night. Xhe Justices then retired to consider the dsolsion on all the oharges. On the Bench roturniug into Court, 'they sentenced the accused au follows James Marsh wrs fined £4 and costs, or one month's imprisonment under the Vagrant Aot; P. Freer, two months' imprisonment for the first offence, 10s and costs, also to pay the damage done to Detective Hughes' hat, value 10s 6d, or seven days' imprisonment in addition to the two months; R.lrwin received two months, with bard labour, for assaulting Sergeant Qamble, one month for assaulting Constable Keaney, one month for assaulting Constable White, making foar months in all to be served; E. Ryan was sentenced to two months' hard labour, and

waa fined 10* and costs/alao toj»y damage dooe to »h»ko, rained at 12s 6d. or seven d»yu' imprisonment in addition ; P. Connolly was sentenced to two'months' hard labour. Xho alio thanked the civilians who bad oomo to the assistances* the.polio*, rft wu as they all krtcw. thairdutjr to do so when ao required. Mr. Thomson alto endorsed thia on beball of the police.^