AN ASSAULT BY PURPOSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7662, 12 June 1886, Page 6 (Supplement)

AN ASSAULT BY PURPOSE.

A WORKHOUSE INMATE DOES TOO MUCH WORK. t At the Thames Police Court on April 20, Patrick Walsh, James Crooks, James Finn, Henry Ames, and Albert Kerfeet, all pauper inmates of the Poplar Union, were charged with assaulting Alfred Townssnd, an inmate of the same union. Prosecutor stated that about seven o'clock on the previous evening he was in the hall of the workhouse, when the prisoners came up to him and said, " You ought to be ashamed of yourself for doing the work you do." They then threw hats at him. Finn began to punch him, while Crooks held him round the waist. Finn punched him in the face and head, and also kicked him about the legs. The other prisoners knocked him down, and punched and kicked him. When he managed to get up he ran to the master's house for help. The prisoners were afterwards given in charge. Crooks : It isn't right for him to have Urn and bread and butter and we only have grnol. (Laughter.) Ames: He does 16lb of wire to any other people's 81b. When he gets his bread and butter he walks up and down tormenting us with it. (Laughter.) William Wilson, an inmate, stud he saw the prisoner punch and kick the prosecutor. Brown, the labour master, said he had received informatics during the day that the prisoners were going to knock Townsend about for doing too much work. Mr. Lushington said it was intolerable that a set of cowardly young blackguards should assault a nun like the prosecutor. Thoy would each go to prison for two months.