COMEDY IN COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20562, 13 May 1930, Page 7

COMEDY IN COURT.

WRONG MAN FINED.

ACCUSED WITH SAME NAMES

POLICE UNRAVEL TANGLE.

[DY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Monday.

; Owing to a coincidence in the names j of two men. tlio Wellington Police Court was to-day reduced to a state of perplexity. The confusion-was made worse by the attitude of ono of flic men, whoso appearance was a surprise to the police, aud it was only after he'had been fined for (lie other man's offence that the tangle was straightened out. Shortly before Mr. W. IT. Woodward, P.M., took his plate on tho Bench, an elderly man presented himself at the •e of the clerk of the Court. He gave his name as Rafferty and announced his intention of standing trial for "some sort of trouble." There was a Rafferty on tlio charge sheet for the day, so the caller was invited to sit at the back of tho Court and- await his turn. Several cases had been heard and then there was a call for Andrew Rafferty. , "'Mail the Police Wanted." The elderly man went to step into the ■dock" and Collided with a younger' man, who camp from tho pris6ners' room. •Asked by a constable for his name, the 1 elderly" man said ho'was tho man the police- wanted , and' pushed "his way into the dock. There ho was charged with .drunkenness and with casting, offensive matter on tlio -footpath. " I am sorry," ho when asked how .lie' pleaded. ."How, do you plead?" the clerk repeated. " R.'jilcy," replied accused. He was fined 10s for, drunkenness and £1 for the other offence.

" Stand down," came the order of a constable, but Rafferty stayed where he was. There was a chorus of "Stand down," but still tho man iri the dock leaned on tho side. A constable pulled him out .forcibly. Protesting angrily, Rafferty donned his hat, which was immediately pulled off by the constable, • Ho 'demanded timo to pay tho fines and tried to" scramble back into the dock again, but was stopped. He then put his head round the heavy curtain at the end of the magistrate's bench and demanded in a loud voice that he be given time to pay. On the magistrate's direction ho was returned to,the dock. Seaman on Tutanekai. " How long do you want to pay 1" Mr. Woodward asked. " Well, what do you say about tho first of tho month V was the reply.' "That is when I get paid." He added that he was a seaman on the Government steamer Tutanekai.

In reply to tho magistrate Senior-Ser-geant Dempsey said lie knew nothing about accused. "Wo aro. supposed to I. bo paid on the, first of the month,'' interjected Rafferty, " but no one knows when jit will come.' It might bo tho tenth or [ tho fifteenth, . Take that into considera- | tion and make it.light,'!. .. j. Once again accused was. ordered to island down. Again lie was pulled-out | of .tho dock and again his hat .was pulled,. | from his head. 11 Well, do tho best you can, magistrate," ho calhul as he was led. ,to tho prisoners'. room. There his voice rose in protest and he could be heard demanding'what'it" was all about. After he had gone the magistrate said he would allow accused a week to find tho money. Default was fixed at 48 hours' imprisonment. Real Rafferty Discovered. One or two other cases were dealt with and tho Court adjourned. A few seconds later the real Andrew Rafferty, aged 28, was found sitting in the prisoners' room, waiting to bo charged with drunkenness.' He was placed in the dock and several polico officers gathered round to cbtfr up the mystery of the two Raffertys. . Slowly, and with further protests from the elder Rafferty, the tanglo was straightened. Unexpectedly ho ' produced a crumpled and dirty summons, and then it was found that, his name was James, and that ho should not have appeared in Court until Friday.

Tho cider liafforty was summoned on a chargo of casting offensive' matter and not for drunkenness. Ho admitted that lie/ had .gone to Court that morning so that he could get away on his boat. The younger llafterty Was the one mentioned in the, charge sheet 'for drunkenness. Tho magistrate : had to' be r6callecl and ; tlio Court, resumed, .with the elder Rafferty's voice ; still to, bo heard ; oUtsido. •'

" Unfortunately, tjie wrong man appeared. and pleaded guilty to tho. charge of drunkenness," said tlio .'senior 'sergeant. Andrew Riifferty was convicted and discharged, and the' Court adjourned with justice done. ,