CLERGYMEN ASSAULTED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16798, 14 March 1918, Page 4

CLERGYMEN ASSAULTED

THE FEILDING AFFRAY.

MEN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. ■

[BY TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT.]

FEILD T NG. Wednesday. Criminal charge? arising out of the assaults on the Rev. G. F. Stockwell, Methodist minister, Rev. Thomas Miller, Presbyterian minister, and Adjutant Wain, Salvation Army officer, came bo. fore Mr. L. 0. Reid. S.M., to-day. Michael Rowan was charged with assaulting the Rev. Stockwell. and causing him actual bodily harm, while Simon McGracl and James Egan were also charged with assaulting the Rev. Stockwell. A fourth man, Rupert McKee. was charged with assaulting Adjutant Wain. -Inspector McKinnon conducted the prosecution, and Mr. H. Cooper, of Palmerston .North, represented the accused. The Rev. 0. F. Siockwel! gave denes that after the meeting Rowan made u.-o of very objectionable language as trie witness 'and others passed. They were followed by the accused and a great crowd, and when the witness came into the darkness of Kimbolton Road the crowd came on with a yell. His hat was knocked off, and he received a blow. Moving on to the road, he ran along a few yards, crying out, "This will not do, be British.' Ho then went in to the. path again and received a blow which knocked him senseless. He received considerable injuries, and was off duty for a fortnight under the doctor.

Struck From Behind. The Rev. Thomas Miller deposed that he had noticed Rowan in the meeting and connected with the disturbance. lie could not identify the others. After the meeting he saw a man standing with his hack against the fence, and the man called out. The man followed the witness and the others, calling out repeatedly and very loudly. Presently he heard over his shoulder a fierce, angry voice, shouting an imprecation, and immediately ho was struck a heavy blow in the face. Ho was struck on the,eye, nose, and mouth, one tooth being broken. Ho must have been stunned, for Alien ho next remembered he was lying on the ground. As he rose on his hand and knees he saw men running. He saw no man strike him or strike anyone else. Adjutant Edwin Wain said he saw Rowan at the. fence and saw the others later. Witness noticed the crowd join up with Rowan and follow the witness aba the other ministers down the street. A little down tho street the followers were running, and one of them struck Hie Rev. Stockwell from behind. Ho could identify Rowan as the man who struck the blow which lifted the Rev. Stockwell off his feet and knocked him towards the kerb. The Rev. Stockwell rejoined the witness on tho path when Rowan struck him audi felled him to tho ground. The witness turned Mr. Stockwell over so he would not lie on his face, and then ran after the man. Two women hindered his progress, and said "Hi never did it." Rowan, still running, turned around and made a blow at him but did not hit him. McKee then, struck at the witness, who defended himself. ' Duncan Whisker gave evidence that ho met Rowan backing through the crowd. The witness said, " You are a cur," and Rowan replied, "Please, I did not do anything at all." Later on he saw Rowan with five or six others, and heard Rowan say, "I got a 'beaut * on to him." Four Men Together. • Mra. McCorie stated she saw the four accused in tho hall, and later on saw them again in the square. She/ heard Rowan say "I got a 'beaut' on to one of them." Later on she saw tho four together on tlia square. Constable Anderson stated that after the meeting McGrael said to witness, " I will get the 'rotten cow' before the night's out; you see'if I don't."" The Rev. Howard Elliott was the man referred to. Egan said, " I would like to have him out on the street here. I would make a football of him." After tho assault ho saw McKee and Rowan together. Constable McDonald stated that outside of the hall, after the meeting, he heard McGrael say: "If I could get cue lon to it I would do a month for it." Mr. Cooper submitted that there was .no case against McGrael and Egan,. as therewas no evidence that they were present at the assault. ' • » The Bench said there was abundance of evidence of intention to assault on the'part of Rowan, Egan and McGrael. In regard to McKee, Tie was not charged ; with, assaulting tho Rev. Stockwell, but with an "attempt to assault" Adjutant Wain. That was not an indictable offence, and he, therefore, would dismiss McKee without prejudice. He was satisfied - there was a priraa-facie case against Rowan, McGrael and Egan, and would commit them to tho Supreme Court for trial. Bail would be fixed at £50 in each case. . i Egan, McKee, McGrael, Rowan and another man named Edward Woods, were all found guilty of charges of disturbing tlio meeting, and were each fined 20s and each ordered to pay 7s costs. ' ' .