PRESENTATION BEER

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12211, 8 August 1925, Page 4

PRESENTATION BEER

DISASTROUS PARTY MIDDLE-AGED MAN ASSAULTED. Per Press Association DAnNe V ixtKE, August 7. . The gift of a keg, of beer to a party of young men at Maharahara in July last had, disastrous oonsequences for those who participated in the jollification. The sequel occurred in the court at Danhevirke, when seven men were charged on four informations of committing mischief and assaulting George Tapp, a middle-aged man. Topp alleged that the defendants went to a cottage where he was living, taking their keg of beer with them, and battered in the back door, pulled him out into the yard,' and when he re fused to drink beer one of them threw it into his face. Later the same thing occurred inside the house. Topp also alleged one of the men. David Jubilee Gilchrist, threw Topp across a table, threatened him with a butcher’s knife, and also attempted to foroe a pill down his throat. Topp called for mercy, hut nobody went to his assistance.It was also alleged that Topp’s bed clothing was set on fire and the wallpaper in the bedroom set alight. At one invitation to drink, Topp, in evidence, said he.acceded, saying “Here’s luck;” and the ' company sang “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow." • After a lengthy hearing, during which the defendants denied committing the offences alleged, Messrs W. Dooson and Ferrier Walker, J.P.’a, convicted all the defendants on the charge of assault. Gilchrist was sentenced to 14 days hard labour, and William James “Stanley Howes and Douglas McNicol were each fined £lO, in default one month’s imprisonment. Worthington Rowell, Ernest Charles Glass, Edward George Lines, and Arthur Edward Dean were each fined £5. or 14 days. On the charge of damage, Gilchrist, Powell, Lines, Glass,’ and Dean were convicted, and fined in amounts ranging from £2 to 12s, and on another charge ’ were ordered to come up for sentence- when called upon within 12' months. On the. fourth charge each was fined os and costs in addition to being ordered to pay the amount of damage. Security of appeal in each case was fixed at £2O.