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CONNELL COLLARED.

A CUBA-STREET CONUNDRUM Was Obscene Language Used N ? Or was it Simply Socialism?

To mistake remarks on Socialism for obscene language seems an unpardonable blunder ; also it's rougi* on Socialism * yet the main defence of James Stewart Connell, charged a Wellington Magistrate's Court on Monday with the serious offence mentioned above, was that the subject of his conversation was'ttie sapie as you hear any Sunday night at His Majesty's Theatre or the triangle opposite the Post Office on Sunday afternoons-

A conscientious officer named Constable Cummings was the immediate cause of the Court proceedings. He noticed a disorderly crowd coiningi a.loiug Cu ; l»a-street on Saturday night, and consulted with a friend named McGregor, who wore the same sort of clothes as himself. Ths crowd turned, down Ghuznee^street and proceeded along that thoroughfare m an uproarous • manner- Also, the language was painful lv ,free and contrary to the Act, and Cummings threw himself into the crowd and ordered it to disperse. The more sensible did float out of sight, but Cornell, among others, remained around and was ARRESTED FOR OBSCENE LANGUAGE, which the ccoiatable alleged was used! more than once coming along the street. To Mr JacksGn, for the . defence, the bobjby said he knew Connell was the person making use of obscene language because /he was standing laiionigside him at the time. Connell denied the charge at the time and informed the peeler that he had been talking Socialism. Connell wasn't drunk but was more or less under the influence, and the crowd: with him were m the same hilarious condition. McGregor Was a Corroborative police witness, who heard the language used and saw Cunimdngs order the dispersal of the crowd.' He didn't think Connell was talking Socialism because he heard him accuse another man of stealing his bottle of beer.

Mr Jackson remarked that the defence Was a denial, not that bad lan-o-uage had heen used, but that it had been used hy Connell. He suggested that the police had mistaken the identity of the person who had used the bad language, and that Conn-ell was innocent of the charge, because he had been talking Socialism .to a friend." Pie called Connell, who stated that he was, a wharf laborer 'and hod had one or two drinks m town earlier m the evening. Somewhere ahout 10.30 he was walking along Ghuznee-street with one man that he knew and another man he had no knowledge of. He was talking Socialism at the time, and had a distinct recollection of the fact. He was told next day that had language had bieen used by somebody m the crowd, which was a fairly large one, probably numbering fourteejn, hut it -

WASN'T UTTERED BY HIMSELF. They had gone a considerable distance down Gbuznee-street when the blue-? coated John came up to him and said "You have got your last chance." As Connell hadn't been spoken to before by the slop he was naturally ftstonisbeid and indignant. He was absolutely astounded when the Kaiser insisted upon arresting him., and still felt indignant over his unlawful detention. He heard somebody remark at the time, "You have arrested the wrong m^n." Inspector Ellison tried to test the witness's memory and credibility and a,sked himi to name a few out of the fourteen who were present. In reply, he gave the cognomens of Russell, Thomas,' and Burns. He had only had two driiiks m the afternoon and twe m the evening, and it was quite true that somebody had cellared a bottle of beer from him. -Magistrate Riddell ?-r-What branch of Socialism were you discyssing ? ---No. particular branch. Have you read any works on Socialism ?— No, but I've listened to a terrible lot of , it. \ His Worship : Oh ! The evidence of John Burns, wharf laborer, went to show that he met Ccn'-'-il at 9.30 n.m. amLihey adjourned to the Royal GKk for a booze. They remained m that- hospitable hostelry till close 'on dos:ng time, when they moved up Ciifcastreet and thence down Ghuzneestreet. There was

A FAIRLY LARGE CROWD ; m fact, witness also believed it numbered fourteen. It was split into sections, and although obscene language was certainly used, it was not used amongst the crowd that Connell was m. It therefore astonish?:! Burns when the bobh-ie, who hadn't .spoken to Connell before, came up to him and remarked, aggressively, "You had bettor go home ; you are creating a disturbance." Connell replied, "No, I will not go home; I'm not drunk npr creating a disturbance : I'm. only talking Socialism." Thereupon the policeman arrested him. He heard Connell use no had language, and witness remarked to the constable, "You've made a mistake : you've arrested the wrong man " Connell was talking Socialism at the time, and none of the men m his company were drunk.

Joseph Thomas, another wharf laborer, met Connell at the Royal Oak prior to the above incidents, and was present at the time of the arrest. The witness confirmed the much-re-peated assertion that Connell was

TALKING ABOUT SOCIALISM at the time. When accosted by tlie boibbie, Connell said, "This is a free country, and I'll do as I like." The slop replied, "I'll show you can't do as you like." Cp n nell. who was talking Socialism, said, "I'll talk Socialism to you or 'anyone else. ' Geo. Barnett and J. Russell also gave evidence. Mr Riddell remarked upon the .v-Mjrjit of evidence m favor of acrus: d. The constables might have m. 51 -de a mistake, but upon that head he. would express no opinion. Whatever doubt existed CYnnell was entitled to have the benefit of, and he would Umefore dismiss the case.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTR19070921.2.24

Bibliographic details

NZ Truth, Issue 118, 21 September 1907, Page 5

Word Count
941

CONNELL COLLARED. NZ Truth, Issue 118, 21 September 1907, Page 5

CONNELL COLLARED. NZ Truth, Issue 118, 21 September 1907, Page 5

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