A BLUE AND BEERY BRAWL

NZ Truth, Issue 117, 14 September 1907, Page 4

A BLUE AND BEERY BRAWL

A HERO OF THIRTY OR

FORTY DRINKS.

Hardham's Obscene Oratory,

Winter's Interest m His Pal Costs

Him Dear.

A case which derived its particular interest mainly from thirty or forty shandies, and eight (or more) drinks of an assorted nature was heard m Wellington Magistrate's Court on Monday, when George Hardham, a pugnacious-looking, person, who. described himself as a laborer, was charged with using obscene language m Adelaide Road, and a pal of his named Albert Winter, who tried to prevent his arrest, was placed m. the dock en the : charge of police obsteufction. It would appear from the evidence of Constable G-illatt, who is a youthful adornment of the force, that, at 9.30 on Saturday night he detected ITardliam and a group of others filling the whole of the space of the footpath m Adelaide Road, and he marked the group as unlawful, ' or at least unusual. Be was' busy at the time, having been called to a disturbance up the street, and went by on the opposite side m- company with a young woman, who*, was connected with the disturbance aforesaid. When^ he returned, the crowd was still obstructing the footway, and the peeler said, "Move on !" m his 1 midst dignified manner. All were agjitated' to their extremities with the exception of Hardham, who took exception; to the ordier.' Thereupon the policeman said. "You'd better come along with me," and trouble happened. Some dreadful language mentioned m the charge sheet was used by Hardham, who resisted arrest. Moreover, he used other shocking epithets, and continued the . - • USE OF OBSCENE ORATORY, all the way to the station. /There were a great ' number of women and. children about at the time, and the moral effect was appalling. Gillatt had considerable difficulty .m arresting his victim, who actually struck the law heavily with his fist, and the 1 aid pf Sergeant Beattie had to be invoked dn Dock-street. , The constable acknowledged to Mr Jackson, who appeared for the defence, that lie had twisted the man's hand 'behind, his back, and m this expert fashion had run him along the Dublic thoroughfare. When -Sergeant Beattie came on the scene his youthful fellow slop was struggling on ths road m Dockstreet with the enraged Hardham. On the WcV to the station the language used by Hardham was awful, more particularly when females were approaching, and the Sergeant, . who looks like a family roan, almost begced the eloquent captive to cease his sulphurous outpourings. In reply to Mr Jackson, the sergeant said Hardham was not drunk, but had a good deal of liquor m him. The defence was to the effect that I-lardam had been down town during the day and had taken several drinks. At 9.30 m the evening he was standing near a verandah post and was WAITING FOR A FRIEND who bad gone into an adjacent barber's i-hop. When the peeler extended an invitation' to him to come along there was ho one with him. The bobby s.eizod hiis hand and twisted it behind 'his back, occasioning him great pain. Told the constable he would go along without treatment of that sort, but the captor maintained his ju-'jitsu clasp, and when the captive struggled under the unbear-. able nature .of the torture, he was thrown on to the road m Pock-street. Here Iho sergeant appeared and added his violence to the apprehension. Hardham denied using- the blushful . language. , . .'. ■ ' Mr Riddeli, S.M., commented upon the fact that the evidence of the police had been practically uncontrar dieted with regard to ; the allegation . of obscene Ifiaruage. .for which .a heavy penalty was provided . by statute. The use of obscene language was becoming far too .commoni, not only m the' cities, but also m the country towns- A fine of £5 was imposed, with an alternative of. one months' imprisonment. A case arising out of the. above was that against Albert Winter, a driver by occupation, who Was charged with obstructing Constable G-il-latt m the execution of his duty. The evidence of the police went to show that Winter repeatedly seized Hardham and his captor, with^no object of preventing the arrest, and m Dock-street he endeavored to pull the copper off his victim. That officer was kicked m the back, but he couldn't positively place "the crime on Winter. The defence was a complete denial. Winter said he merely beseectoed tin copper to let his pal go, and he would see him home, and the officer was deaf to the request. To the Inspector' Winter acknowledged having had at least eight drinks. Hardham was recalled and' swore that Winter did not seize him during , the arrest, and did not attempt to DRAG THE CONSTABLE OFF HIM m Dock-street. The Inspector : In fact, you had too much beer to remember ?— No, I did not. Mr Jackson pointed out that both the sergeant and constable had sworn that Hardham wasn't v drunk. His Worship said there was an admission by Hardham of taking a certain number of drinks, and these may have clouded his brain. It might also be said that Winter had little recollection of the facts, for the same reason. 'He thought that on the evidence, Winter had bern guilty nt obishruclion. Tim police must lie proj'tecteti from 1h? public. Fi*"d £3, m default 21 days.