A STREET AFFRAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7392, 21 March 1911, Page 9

A STREET AFFRAY

TWO FINED £3 EACH. William Stevens and Vincent Furnefc* were cnaigtd uui uaviag, on Aiiutu loun, in xory useu tureatenmg Oenavionr, wnerepy u breacn oi tne peace Una uccaaiOiitU. Air it. i. U Leary api>eared for Elevens ami air ivaxcaiu.e lor Eutnesa, eaun oi whom pieuuea net gnixty. Constaoie Giynn staled tnat on the cujj.ectea outside tne AiWuii iioiei,* aitLi uil luvcsligaung juuuu luai tne had been muucea Vo congregate oy luc acuona oi Cue two accusea, wuo appeared to nave beexi ngnting. otevens s ir onus were pulling him away Irom Furntss, anu Furness's inends were nujding mm bacK irom Stevens. Both accused were mteding badiy. F unices was under tire innuence of liquor, but Stevens was perfectly sober.

To dir Kirkcaldie: Witness saw no blows struck.

To Hr O’Leary: Stevens told witness that Furness Uau struck him with a ci-n, whicn was afterwards touud on the ground where the fracas occurred. Elevens also comxnained that Furness’s friends had used insulting language towards him and his wife. Stevens did not appear to bo quarrelsome, but Furness was very quarrelsome. Mr O’Leary (to his Worship): I scarcely know what to say on behalf of my client, except “ Here wo are again/ - ’ Poor old Stevens is always getting into trouble, and seemi quite unable to keep out of court- Counsel: continued that ho would put Stevens in the box to give his version of the affair.

Stevens, in evidence stated that ho was going down 'lory street with his wife, and near the corner of Tory street and Courtenay place they passed the accused and two others, ail of whom were drunk. As they passed one called out an offensive remark. Witness went back to remonstrate with them, ana Furness immediately struck at him with a can, inflicting a wound over his ©ye. According to Furness, the trouble started through Stevens's wife calling out and telling him and his two companions to get out of it. They replied that they were hot talk.ng to her, and immediately alter witness received a blow. He denied that he was drunk, b\a admitted that he had had a few drinks tuat evening, Each oi me accused was convicted and fined A'3, with -witnesses' expenses, in deiault lourteen days' impr-sunmpnt.