TEE LATE MR. JOY, SOLICITOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7223, 12 January 1885, Page 5

TEE LATE MR. JOY, SOLICITOR.

A HORRIBLE STORY.

Most of our readera will remember Mr. C. H. L. Joy, solicitor, who was a prominent figure in Auckland some years ago. He left Auckland for Adelaide, and some time ago information was received here of his death. The last Adelaide papers show that a man has been brought up for trial, charged with inflicting grevions bodily harm on Mr. Joy. The whole story shows what a deplorable state Mr. Joy had fallen into before his death. We give the following "extracts from the Adelaide papers :—The Jury Court has been occupied with a startling case, which has created some surprise and not a little excitement. Lott, the man who has been committed for trial on a charge of having set fire to the premises destroyed in the recent conflagration, brought an action against Arthur Bonnin as the executor of Joy, i member of the English bar, who died in Adelaide a few months «go. The claim made was for £290 for board and lodging, but the allegation of Mr. Bonnin was that Joy was practically a prisoner at Lott's mother-in-law's house and she had instructions to "feed him on whisky" as long as it was possible. In the meantime another portion of the operations was that Joy should sign as many cheques as he could be got to, and for any amount ho might please, while he was in a state of stupefaction from drink. Bonnin says, that Joy did sign several under these conditions, and is at a loss to account for some £600 of cash which was expended by Joy since last July. The cross-examination of Joy certainly bore out to some extent what the executor put forward, and so mueh discredit was thrown on his claim that a vardiot for the defendant resulted. In one case it transpired that Joy got rid of five bottles of whisky in 24 hours. This Mr. W. J. Lott was subsequently arrested, and charged, on the information of Thomas Edwards, with inflicting grievous bodily harm on Conway Holmes Ludlow Joy, in June, 1882. Mr. Harold Downer prosecuted; Mr. Farr defended. John Shanks, Police-trooper, stationed at Overland Comer, said during the year 1882 he owned and dxove a wagonette. He was frequently employed by defendant to drive him and a man hamed Joy. about.. Recollected on one occasion, in Jane, 1882, driving the pair and a little girl, he took for Lott's daughter, to the Grange. Lott was riding in front, Joy and the little girl inside. On nearing the Grange the girl called out, and defendant looking around said, " What is he doing to you, Florrie." She replied he was behaving indecently, when Lott ordered the trap to be stopped, and palling Joy oat, struck him with his fist over the head and body. He then caught him by the shoulders, and knocked his head severely against the. tire of the wheel three or four times. Joy said, " Let me alone, Mr. Lott, and I will be good." Witness also stated, "That's enough, Lott, you have given the poor &-<-— enough, oven if he did do it." Lott upon that desisted, and he drove on, leaving Joy in the track behind. He was stooping down crying. 'Never drove the trap back foe him, and cannot think how he got into it again.

Subsequently saw him leaning over the rails of' the Grange Hotel with hi« back to Lott, who struck himoverthebackof theheadagain with bis closed fist. Witness stopped him again. The little girl, who was present, was then given -a stock (part of a: spirit case) with a nail, at the end of it by Lott, who said, "If Joy does not behave himself you beat him with it, Florae." She struok him over .the 1 face and hands - with it in prisoner's presence. Joy, who had given no provocation, cried out "Florrie, don't beat me, "and appealed to Lott to oompell her to. desist, but he only laughed and. replied, "You should behave yourself." Lott supplied Joy with a quantity of drink at the Grange. Returned to prisoner's .residence in Bundlestreet. Lott went inside the shop, leaving Joy and the girl in the trap., Shortly afterwards he came to take deceased inside, when the latter appealed to him to save him. Lott, however, pushed him through a small trapdoor facing Bundle-street rather roughly. Mrs. Lott was present, and Joy said, ".Don't beat me, Mr. Lott, I will be good." Mrs. Lott cried out, "You wicked, bad man." Joy was an imbecile and the worst for liquor. On the present occasion he was the worse for liquor. Saw Joy a day or two afterwards, when he had bruises over his hands and face. Lott told witness that deceased could drink half-a-dozen bottles of port a day, and that he was always supplied with it. Used to drive Lott out three and four times a day, and received from. him about £7 or £9. After Joy's death met Lott near the York HoteL Said to him, "How is poor old Joy getting on?" He replied, "The old is dead." On a subsequent occasion, when witness was stationed at Unley, Lott visited him, and asked him if he would 'go to Mr. Hornburg's office to sign an affidavit that he had received £20 for cab fare.' He said, fit is a jast debt, I might as well have the money as " anyone else." He added, "The old woman (meaning his wife) has a great liking for you. If I get this money, you can do what you like with her." Replied, " I think you have made enough out of old Joy ; if you take this case to the Court I shall appear as a witness against you." Usually on the Sunday before driving oat witness used to go to Lott's house, and was given port wine, prisoner remarking, "It is Joy's, he will not miss it." By Mr. Farr: Joy was about 5 feet 6 inches. When Lott forced his head on the wheel did not notice any blood, but saw it on arriving at the Grange. Henry Jones, dairyman, of the Reedbeds, said in 1882 he was employed as barman in the Grange Hotel. Remember Lott coming there on several occasions with Joy, and a little girl, and a lady. Recollect on one occasion seeing Joy standing at the end of the jetty, near the hotel. Lott was coming away, but returned and struck him across the shoulders and chest, afterwards shaking him. Joy always appeared mentally and bodily helpless, and incapable of protecting himself against Lott. By Mr. Farr—Did not think the blow was a violent one. That is the only assault witness could remember. Sarah Fisher, wife of Seth Fisher, labourer, said in 1882 they were residing at the back of Lott's premises in Bundle - street. Often saw Lott and Joy drive out in a cab together, leaving the house at the back. Joy had to be assisted in the cab, and did not always appear willing to go. A little after dusk on one occasion heard Joy sing out in the lane, " Oh, don't; oh, don't." Went out and saw Joy lying on the ground, but did not see Lott. Another evening saw Joy on the ground with blood coming from his nose and mouth, witk Lott standing over him. Deceased was screaming "Please, Mr. Lott, don't." Witness said to Lott, "You blackguard, don't abuse this gentleman." In answer to Mr. Farr the witness said sometimes Joy was dragged out of the cab. He was sometimes assisted in. William Rossiter, employed at Mr. . Whitecombe's, near by, said he heard Joy crying out as if hurt. Next day he saw Joy, who looked very dilapidated and could not walk. He was helped into a cab at times, and sometimes when he refused to go, there was a disturbance. When he refused, he was put in by main force. On one occasion he accused Joy of talking behind his back, and threatened to blow his brains ont. Lott always took a gun with him in the trap. Heard Joy several times say, " Oh, dear Mr. Lott, I love you, don't hurt me." About September 13, Joy died. On that day heard him crying out as usual, about half-past twelve p.m. About three o'clock the same day a coffin was brought in, and the next morning at nine o'clock the body was buried. Jonah Whitcombe, undertaker of Rundle-street, deposed to Lott telling him in 1882 that Mrs • Callon, his mother-in-law, had a rich lodger, and that she was making a lot of money out of him. At this time Lott's position was not a good one, having an overdraft at the bank of £80. About two months after Joy had been residing at Lott's, Mr. Lott showed witness a hundred sovereigns out of the safe saying, " Does it not make your mouth water ?" Six or twelve months previous to Joy coming recollected a German dying at Lott's house, and witness buried him as a pauper. Lott afterwards requested witness to make out an account that he had been buried in - the usual way, and he (Lott) would then get the money. (Mr. Beddome thought this evidence was hardly admissible.) , About twelve o'clock on the day of Joy's death saw Joy lying on the floor with his clothes on. Half an hour afterwards Lott came into his shop and told him of Joy's death, but he refused to bury him. A few days after Lott said to him, "I wish I had known he was going to die, I would have made him make a will in my favour."By the Bench: Dr. Moore was attending Joy. John Charles Ashley, undertaker, stated that on September 14, 1882, about one o'clock, he took a coffin to Lott's premises. A dead body was lying on the bed, but it was not decently prepared for burial, having a trousers and shirt on. The room was also very dirty. At Lott's instructions put it in a coffin, and screwed it down. By Mr. Farr: Had a doctor's certificate. The body had not been washed to all appearances. It is not customary to bury bodies in trousers and shirt. Never assisted to remove the trousers, and they were hot taken off while he was there. Mr. Downer here applied for a remand for a week, which was granted. Bail was allowed, prisoner to find two sureties of £50 each and himself in £100.