BARRIES BOTHER.

NZ Truth, Issue 139, 15 February 1908, Page 6

BARRIES BOTHER.

BATTLE OF BQARDING-HOUSE KEEPERS. Constable Stewart's Curious Assertion; Au Embarrassed Orderly. Trouble has of late fallen thickly on the home of David Barris, which is known as the Paragon boardinghouse, Dixon-street. The police recently suspected it of being a slyand taided the : premises, with results that have still ; . to come to liffht m the Magistrate's Court. Then the brother of Barries milkman had a row with the hash-house keeper over an unsettled account, and he alleges that Baririe visited his wrath upon the countenance of the cow-juice merchant, . although the Magistrate considered the assault unproven. Then Isabella Barrie, aged thirteen, and daughter of Davi-d, had a remark made to her on Sunday last which induced her to lay an information against Robert James Christopher Seal for usinsr obscene language. It appears that the Barrie establishment ran short of cornflower, and at noon Bella went across \o Mrs ; Watson's Shamrock boardin"--faouse to have the want supplied. Seal was standing outside the latter hash-foundry w : hen the pirl arrived, and it is alleged he said, the b — = — little b who' put our pots on," or words to that effect. The observation was apparently some (ihadowry reference to the si- ~rog prosecution. At any rate, the lamruace was too horrify ing lor the airl to mention, and SHE WROTE IT DOWN. Sub-Inspector O'Donovan : Does 'fo" represent, a word, or did he say >(| b" ?, It's a word. Then write it clown. The girl (turning to the orderly) : How do you spell it '/—(Orderly embarrassed.) The Sub-Inspector : Spell it your own way. And she did. It was a remarkable-looking; word. The girl obtained ami paid for her corn-flower, ami when she was retiring;, Seal said, "Why don't you buy b cornflower instead of buying beer." These insulting remarks were told to Mrs Barrio, who immediately sent her daughter round to Constable Stewart, and that fearlrss officer arrested his man. When m the grip of the law, Seal had the indiscretion to say, "I only said to her, 'why don't you buy tome t cornflower instead of beer.' " ! Mr Toosrood (to tbe constable): Did

you say the Magistrate would not Relieve Seal if he brought the whole of the Shamrock boarders as wit* nesses ?— Well, no respectable person can walk past there without being insulted. Did you make the statement ?— I did say I didn't think the Magistrate would believe him. I know him too well. The defence called Chas. Dorm an (a gentleman who works at Kaiwarra), Barney Burns (a foreman), and Mrs Stoneley (a waitress m the Shamrock) to prove that Seal didn't open his mouth when the girl arrived, but as she was leaving he said, "Why don't you buy cornflower instead of beer ?" a query ROBBED OF ALL OBSCENITY. Magistrate Riddell : The case is a very suspicious one, but on the evidence there seems to be some doubt, and I gave accused the benefit of that doubt. The Sub-Inspector desired to alter the charge to ono- of "abusive language," but Mr Toogood objected to proceeding with that charge without notice. The Sub. : The case depends upon whether your Worship believes the evidence of the girl. His Worship : I don't say that I do not believe the girl. The information was dismissed, and the Bench signified its willingness to hear the fresh charge on a future' date. On Wednesday Seal was charged! with using abusive language, and was convicted amd fined 40s and costs, or seven days. An application for time; to pay the amount was refused.