DARKY DIGGS

NZ Truth, Issue 94, 6 April 1907, Page 6

DARKY DIGGS

Goes Up for a Sixer.

, A nigger coon named Edward Diggs, -aged 33, and described as a laborer, but who belies his description, inasmuch as he doesn't labor worth a cent., had his dirty, black character exposed at the Christchurch Police Court on Tuesday, when he was charged with assaulting a constable, and also with being an idle' and disorderly person, who habitually consorted , with thieves and another parasitic' vermin. Diggs was at. the Riccarton races on opening day, and didn't trouble muoh about snottinp* winners. His lay was drunken and half-drunken men, and the. snatching of jewellery from ex-cited-people while they were absorbed .|ifr',?tlie racing. On two occasions did constables Wall and Ross separate him from tanked individuals m front of thc outside grandstand. They knew the degraded dog's character, and were aware of his object m making up to boozed beer-eaters. He would plunder a doe of its fleas, would 1 the detestable Diggs. After the conclusion of the last race Constable McKeefry, of Addington, was making for "the train when he saw the damnable nigger m company with ah old man, who was half drunk, standing by ,. the fence. Knowing Digg's game, McKeefry approached and asked the old bloke where ho lived, and on being told Addington, said that the train would be leaving m five minutes. In doing so he advised him to stay where he was. Diggs stood alongside DURING THIS CONFAB, and McKeefry told him to do a guy and 'mind his own business. "That's what I'm doing," retorted the bally buck nigger. The old fellow then said he didn't want to have anyto do with Diggs ; he had a cut on the side, of his cheek, and said that the damned darky had hit him there. He also made some allusion to an attempt to pass a 'bad half-sovereign on to him. McKeefry had an altercation 'with Diggs. whom he caught hold' of, but he hit him a blow, on the side of the, left eye, marking his face badly, wrenched himself clear, and' raced for the train. With the assistance of the guard, however, he was got off and arrested. When he was searched at the police station later the colored coon' was found to possess a sovereign, a half-sovereign, a farthing which had- been burnished up so as to resemble half a 1 soy., a ladies' brooch, two watches, one a rolled, gold and the other a silver one, two lockets and a sovereigncase. On one of the watches was engraved the name "H. Eamshaw." A broken chain was also found m his pocket ; it had been forcibly removed roni the waistcoat of somebody, as had the sovereign case Now, this wasn't a bad day's work for Diggs, and hoy/ much more jewellery he would have amassed m the night crushes bad he not been boobed can only be surmised. Kopper McKeefry, wearing his scar of battle, toid his experience at court next day. and also a brief outline of the' fellow's character. He was a guesser, he said, who always frequented racecourses, shadowing drunken men. .This had been his constant occupation for the - last six years, ancl the witness had repeatedly put him off courses to keen him away from intoxicated individuals. The fellow never did any other sort of toil 1 ; the thieving and takingdown sort was more congenial to bis taste. / Accused : Didn't you hit me first ? -No. Didn't you say "GO AWAY, YOU NIGGER, about your business ?— Yes, I admit that. Constable Wall, who had known Di.i?frs for a twelvemonth, corroborated the last witness as to, his character, and said that acChsed didn't seem ■at all anxious to leave the old man when McKeffry interfered. 'Tec Gibson gave a list of dates and the names of thieves and vagrants whom he had seen Diggs m company with. The information seemed, to surprise accused, who didn't - know that he was so closely watched. On the very morning of the races Gihson had noted m his diary the fact that Diggs was with a convicted thief. Gibson admitted that he had seen the accused working accasionally, but very occasionaly ; he preferred to do without it. When did you see me working last ?. queried Diggs.— Spruiking for Tanner's Ark, last week. (Smiles.) The S.M. : You aren't charged with working ; you are charged with consorting with people ol ill-repute.

Prisoner claimed that he didn't know the men he consorted with were bad characters, but the sceptical bench said it was assumed that he did know.

"Tec Bishop was the last witness, and the character he gave accused was blacker than- his face.

Have you ever seen me m company with thieves ? asked prisoner : — Yes, and when you and your gang are together on the- street you part like a lot of blowflies when you see the detectives m the distance.

Don't I say "Good-day" to you when I meet you ?— Yes.

And do I ever run away from you? —Not when you are by yourself. Diggs had nothing to say about the assault, but said that he always worked when it was "feasible," and expected "work shortly. He had a wife and child (God help them !0, and his missus expected another (fancy a white woman marrying a criminal nigger), and he desired leniency on their account. It wasn't accused's first conviction :. he is a thorough bad egg, and Bishop, S.M., intimated what he thought of him by boohing him for six . monthsthree on each charge.