A STRANGE CASE

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11785, 22 March 1924, Page 2

A STRANGE CASE

MAN ASSAULTS WOMAN REFUSES TO ENTER COURT WHEN CALLED. ORDEREtD TO KEEP PEACE. Refusing to enter the court-room when his name was called was the Btrange act of a defendant, who was Bummoned at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. The case was one in which Evelyn Griffiths, complainant, proceeded against Arthur Ernest Keeble for assault. When the case was called, the court orderly went into the witne6s-room and called the defendant’s name. The defendant answered, but refused to enter the court-room, saying he wae not represented by a solicitor. The magistrate was acquainted with the position, and he ordered that the defendant be again told to come into the court. The defendant, however, did not appear to be overfond of the hall of justice, for he again refused to set foot within the sacred precincts. Mr C. A. L. Treadwell informed His Worship that the accused had asked him to appear for him, but he had declined. “Is the man quite normal?’’ aeked His Worship of Mr Treadwell. “He appears to he labouring under a delusion, Yo'ur Worship,’’ was the reply. POLICE CALLED IN. His Worship decided to go on with the ease without the defendant’s presence, and the complainant, Evelyn Griffiths, entered the witness-box to give evidence. She said she kept a boardinghouse, and the defendant had hoarded wwth her for two years. In April of 11)23, on account of some trouble, she had occasion to call on the police to put the defendant out. Ever since then, said witness, she had suitered from the accused’6 attentions. He would stay around the house and pester her with threats of violence. On the Ist of the month he entered the house and demanded food. “Just to humour him,” said witness, “I cooked aim some bacon and eggs, and gave it to him. He seized the food off the store and threw it against the wall.” A VIOLENT ASSAULT. “He then violently assaulted me,” declared witness, “and hit me as if I was a big man. 1 was black and blue t «iy body, and jwhen he stopped I fell down in a M Air W. Perry: How did he escape? —Witness: I believe he climbed down the nre-escage. On the following Saturday witness said 6he was again assau lied. His Worship: How many times has this happened?—Witness: He watches the house nearly every night. In reply to a question she said she had known the accused since March. 1921. His Worship: I will make an order that the accused enters into a bond of £SO to keep the peace towards the complainant for twelve months. The accused was also ordered to pay ex. pensee incurred.