WEDDING PARTY UPROAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15292, 3 May 1913, Page 2 (Supplement)

WEDDING PARTY UPROAR.

. -„'■'. *' ''■■■''" : ' . DRAMA AND COMEDY. According to evidence fa a case before .Mr, Justice Lawrence, ;• at Glamorgan Assizes at Cardiff, uninvited guests at a Fontygwaitu ,: wedding feast held up the festivities- and converted them into a veritable "Muldoori picnic." The procedure of ; the; Killjoys," as learned; counsel described them, naturally disconcerted the guests, and upset all the celebrations what time, the bride and bridegroom had made their exit for the honeymoon. ;; Beuijamin Jones (45), was charged with maliciously wounding George Holland oh last New Year's evening. Mr. A. C. Thomas, opening for the prosecution, said prisoner; and ; another man, named Gaylqr, were not amongst the many invited guests..: That was a position, apparently, that did not satisfy accused, who; with the other man, proceeded to remedy it. ; ; They went to the house where the k , wedding ; party ■■ had .assembled, and entered by the back door. Not 1 being invito, guests, their presence was not appreciated, and they ■= were , shown to the door, where, it was alleged, they -proceeded to display the character of "killjoys." // They hammered at the door, and isitued a challenge/to any of the male guests to come- out -and fight. They kept it up nearly all the evening, adding much to /excitement / of. the people inside, but little to their pleasure. Towards the close certain of the ladies were escorted out of the : house. Directly Mr. Holland appeared, showing 1 out one of the ladies, .prisoner pounced upon him, ; and hammered out his: discontent upon the wretched man's, head with a poker, with which he beat him severely and'rendered him senselees.::;-,!!'-;.'' ' ; ; ; ~. ' '; ' Challenged by "Little Bantam." / Counsel• called ■'■'<;&■■ woman, named Harriet' Jones/ who said ;' ; it was her daughter's daughter that got married. Holland was "showing witness out,'-when prisoner, was drunk, attacked > him with the poker, inflicting a couple of scalp wounds, which Dr. Morris was called as a [ witness to describe.!' /v //... ;:■ ' i Prisoner, giving evidence in his own ; behalf; said he lived ■{ three doors away ■' from where the legitimate guests had forej gathered. Witness said to his "butty" [Gaylor, "There's a wedding up there; let's go and have a drink," and away they went. (Laughter.) Then prosecutor said they had better go out, and witness said, "I will it is not my fault I have come!" ' " ' The Judee: Whose fault was it?— Prisoner: Well, it was my fault in one - way, but it was not in another way. (Laughter.) It is not a laughing matter. (More laughter.) He said I had better go out. I said, "I will," and I went out. I went home, and as soon as I came out I heard the "little bantam" challenging me to fight. He then struck me on the li? and- split it .open. Then he : hit me across the back with something heavier than his fist and; knocked me down. The crowd came on, and I let drive at the first. ("Like this," said witness, illustrating in the box how he did it.) There were five of them, and they all got on top of me. " Like a Merry Gentleman." Counsel: Were you drunk?— bit merry— drunk, nor sober. The people didn't want —No. They showed' you to the front door? They told me to go out. You behaved like a merry gentleman?— I did so. > . Gavlor was next called. He, too, confessed to have been a "bit merry." By the Judge: I didn't see the poker. It was a drunken affair, sir. His Lordship: Yes, I see. Prisoner: I did it in self-defence. ! The jury brought in '/ a verdict of "guilty." .... ;■"!;/ -■-. .. /Accused was described as a hard working man, but very dangerous when in drink. ' ' .-;;■//' His Lordship (to prisoner): You are just one who ought never to touch drink. You might - have killed that man, and you -3 would , have ■?; been hanged for it, and you -would have thoroughly deserved it. Sentenoe-—eight months with hard labour. .