A DIRTY TRICK.

NZ Truth, Issue 139, 15 February 1908, Page 5

A DIRTY TRICK.

Puerile Pranks at a Kumara Picnic. What is a Noxious Thing? An Extraordinary Decision. A most unsavory case comes from I Kumara, and the result of it is most unsatisfactory, if not extraordinary, ami it is further to be trusted, that the policp of that town will not rest idle but proceed to have a youth named Morgan properly punished for his dirty pranks ;\ This individual, William Morgan, recently appeared before Mr R. J: Acheson', S.M., on a charge of administering a noxious thing to a married woman' named Alice Case. She is a respectable female, though of weak intellect, and should be just the sort of person who should be protected from puerile practical jokes. It was more than a practical •jotae perpetrated on this creature, and Morgan, m escaping the consequences, can regard himself as an extremely fortunate individual. The story told by the woman is as follows : — "I am the wife of Samuel Case, residing on Dillman's-road. I remember New Year's Day. I was attending a school picnic at the Kumara racecourse. ; I know the accused ; be came to me on Ij-he racecourse abotat 2.30 v and- asked me to have a drink of lemonade ; I took it, which was m a oup ; I -was very hot at the time ; I DRANK THE LOT— a cup full. It wasn't lemonade, but there was a. little m it. It tasted salt, and I wanted water after. I began to vomit a short time after ■; accused left as soon as I drank it ; he had a bottle and poured the con-^ tents into a cup. I did not say anything to Mm. The accused came back and sat alongside me with others ; I told them to go away ; think "the drink was composed of creek water, urine, and lemonade. I had to go to i the dofotor for medicine, and was a [fortnight bad, and am not well yet ; what I drank was the cause- of my illness. About a week after I was going to the doctor lisaw the accused. He said, "How did you like the I drink ? I hope you enjoyed it." Thomas Thorn, sworn, said : lam a miner residing af'Kumara; rej member on 4th January; had a conversation with accused about picnio on racecourse on New Year's Day. During the conversation I said I heard accused made water m a bottle and gave it to Mrs Case. He said yes, he gave it to her, and laughed. He did not say what he gave it her m. He called at my place a week after one night with Mr. Rocbford's son ; J wasn't at home at the .time ; I mot accused on the road after and he said he came to see what I had ; told Mrs .Case ; I told him I had hot told her anything. ! Morgan, m his defence, said : V I am a carpenter's assistant, employed at Kumara; lam 17 years of age ; I' remember the picnic held on the Kumara racecourse on New Year's Day ; I saw Mrs Case there ; I was having a swing with a young girl ; I had a bottle of lemonado waiting for her to have a drink. In the meantime, John Hurren came and asked for a drink ; he had first drink after the cork was drawn ; afitex he finished, and was handing the cup back, Mrs Case said, 'SHARE US ALL ALIKE.' Rochford and I poured out a cup lull for Mrs Case. When she finished she asked for more. She had another j.oupfull ; she gave half to the baby i and drank the remainder. That finished the battle, but the little boy wanted a drink and I asked Rochford to get him some water. .He did, and I stayed with Mrs Case and the four (girls. TEiochford was only away about two minutes, and when he c_ame, back we p,oured some out for the little fellow. When he had finished he hand.ied the cup to, his mother who drank 'some and threw the rest away." He denied point-blank that he had been guilty of the filthy act described, and when he had heard it said by a man named McCormick, he declared that somebody was pulling his leg. He would swear that Mr Thorn and Mrs Case were lying, the latter when she said that he asked her how she liked the drink, and the former when he stated he admitted (JIVING URINE TO MRS CASE. His Worship dismissed the informa-' tion on technicaf grounds ; the summons did not state to whom the doxious thing was administered : the . prosecution had not proved that urine was a noxious thing, as m the Act it meant poison. He did not think urine was harmful ; it might be disagreeable and- tepellant, but not poisonous. He, therefore, dismissed the information, but stated *that it; did not bar Constable Ryan again taking up the case.