A BELFAST BOTHER.

NZ Truth, Issue 165, 15 August 1908, Page 5

A BELFAST BOTHER.

NASTY, NAGGING NEIGHBORS.

Wilful Women Rage Unholy Wah

A Blissful Heaved that Was Made a Hell.

The restful " village of Belfast, where they freeze the unwilling hogget "• for export to the Cold Dart, has been stiisred to its depths lately by 6ml war amongst a section of the neighbors, who later discussed their differences, with violence, m Ohristchurch Mg/gjistrate's Court. Scandal is the only amusement m a small com-' munity, and heaven help the woman who has something she wishes to conceal, or thinks herself on a . higher social plane than the other women m the vicinity. This applies to all small communities, and not necessarily to Belfast, where most females have discovered their reputations m a tattered condition at some time or another. Sarah Wilson Hooper, is a pale little woman, who wears a tasteful red hat, trimmed with brilliant cherries and green verdure, her dress beiDg concealed by a grey overcoat. On July 30th last she met two neighbors m the street, and as a result of the encounter charged Mrs Elizabeth Roberts and Mrs Agnes Patterson with assault, and employed Solicitor Hunter to pro.ye his right to have the two women bound' 1 over to keep the : peace m substantial "sureties. Cunningham, LL.B., resisted the onslaught on Tjehalf of the strenuous defendants, arid the anger and suppressed bitterness of many months broke loose m the presence of Jay Pees Egan and Andrews, Mrs Hooper stated that she lived next door to Mrs Patterson, who was wife of William of tliat ilk, but had had no quarrel with her, m fact they bail been friendly till recently. A coolness arose between the two families. "I was cool, to her," remarked Mrs Hooper,, jwith firmness; '■'and she took abjection to it." On Thursday, July 30, Mrs Hooper went for a ,-walk \yith her children, aged 5, v 4 and 2 years respectively, down to Mrs Quinn's, and she saw Mrs Roberts at her gate. Mrs Roberts came put on to the middle of the road, followed by Mrs Patterson; who was hiding behind Mrs . Roberts' macrar carpa. fence. Mrs Patterson threw herself into Gosling's favorite .fighting attitude, and, closing her fists, remarked with suppressed passion, "Now, say what you have tp say," to which Mrs Hooper replied, haughtily, "anything you have to say, say it to Mr Hooper" ; and she made * TO SWEEP SCORNFULLY PAST.

1 . ■ . ■■'■>■ But Mrs Patterson was not to be trifled with. Seizing Mrs Hooper by her best collarette, she tore that valuable article of attire, and delivered a bloodthirsty right on to Mrs Hooper's indignant countenance. She also damaged the fur boa of her victim, who assessed the destruction at £1. Mrs Hooper didn't retaliate, possibly because Mrs Roberts had hold of her arm. The infuriated Mrs Patterson then turned her attention to the children and thumped the little boy. ; • Catching hold of the girl she shook the youngster and smacked its face. ."You're a coward to hit the children," remarked Mrs Hooper, m the exasperation of tpe moment. "A"coward, am I ?" retorted Mrs Patterson ; "well, take that.'/' and she biffed Mrs Hooper: Also she said Mrs Hooper was a low person and ought to~ be hooted out of the place. Mrs Hooper fought a rearward battle into Mrs Quinn's, but Mrs Roberts followed her up and , struck her twice on the back. Wherefore Mrs Hooper said she was afraid the assault would be repeated and asked, that the pugnacious ladies should find sureties tbat they would keep the peace.

In reply to Mr Cunningham,' Mrs Hooper said that she had been at Belfast 12 months last June. She hadn't' found the women quarrelsome because she hadn't mixed with any of them. She bad Been on neighborly terms with Mrs Patterson, who had taken her into her house on the first night of her arrival. -The lady had also visited Mrs Hooper's once when She was ill. Mrs Hooper said she never had much to do with Mrs Roberts, and had heard nothing derogatory to the character of that lady, excepting what Mrs Patterson told her. She had never discussed the character of Mrs Roberts with Mrs Quinn m a slanderous way, although the two had talked about her. This; was the only occasion on which she had quarrelled with Mrs Patterson. On one occasion Mrs Roberts heard that Mrs Hooper had called her (Mrs Roberts) a low person, and she spoke severely to Mrs Hooper's husband on the subject. Mrs Hooper accordingly went rdund to' Mrs Roberts's, but Mrs Roberts slammed the door m her face, with the haughty remark. "Anything' you have to say you can say to Mr Roberts." The husbands, who work at the freezing works, have a troublous time at Belfast. .

Mrs Rose Quinn, whose hubby Dan also humps the cloth-covered stiffs about the local works, said she heard * the remark of Mrs' Patterson to. the effect that Mrs Hooper was alow individual and would be hooted out of BeKast shortly. Mrs Hooper sought refuge m Mrs Quutn's, and Mrs Roberts followed her, thumping her on the back, as had been" stated. .

The lady acknowledged to Mr Cunningham that she had had one quarrel with Mrs Hooper herself, and she had heard that Mrs Hooper had also faltein out with ; Mrs Fleming, Mrs Quinn said that she personally had quarrelled with Mrs Pat-; terson before Mrs Hooper arrived m Ijhe district, but she believed that the rows had been pretty numerous since the ar-, rival of Mrs Hooper. Mrs Quinn was for--bidden by her husband to go to Mrs Hooper's, on account of a little talk. Mrs Rob-

LOW PERSON, • and the fat fell into the fire m consequence. James Mussen, a Belfast farmer, happened to be passing when the altercation took place, and saw Mrs Patterson deal out stoush to Mrs Hooper, who .was almost a stranger to him. He had known Mrs Patterson many years and came there unwillingly. , This was the case for the prosecution, and Mr Cunningham claimed the dismissal of the informations, on the score that before the woman could have just caiuse to fear her enemies there must have been repeated acts of violence. Mr Hunter contended that it was only necessary to show she was , afraid the acts of violence would be repeated. The Bench decided to hear evidence for the defence.

Mrs Patterson stated that she was a resident . of Belfast of six years'- standing, l and the neighborhood had been- a peaceable one until Mrs Hooper came -into it twelve months ago. Mrs Patterson and the were next-door neighbors and' the exigencies of- landlordism compelled them to use the same pump. On the much-debated date Mrs Patterson went, to tell Mrs Roberts that she would haVe to break an engagement with her . to go into, town, and both ladies went to the corner of the road to see if little Willie was coming with Hhe family ;bike>: Here, they encountered Mrs Hooper and hef offsprings, and Mrs Patterson admonished ■the little Hooper, girl. , "Don't you ever put your fingers up to your nose at me," she said, shaking a warning finger at the, girl. It had been the habit of the three of them, .even to the toddling mite of ,two years', to practice this insulting sign when Mrs Patterson appeared, doubtless at ; the instigation of their mother: Mrs Patterson had spoken to Mrs Hooper about it before, and had warned . the children that they, musn't come to the- pump if they did that sort of thing, but. .that, their mother should carry m the ws^ter. Mrs Patterson swore that she didn't strike the children, but after the remark, already mentioned, Mrs Hooper said, with contempt, "Don't speak to me or my children, /. .....' * YOU DIRTY/ LOW-DOWN CAT »"> y Whereupon Mrs Patterson said, indignantly, ''Would you call me a dirty, low-down cat?" 'and Mrs Hooper replied, "Yes ; take that !"■ "That" was a Tommy Bjums drive on the shoulder, which staggered Mrs Patterson, -who shoved Mrs Hooper up to the fence, -and Mrs Hooper clawed Mrs - Patterson on the face m a most unsportsmanlike manner, so that the blood flowed. "There are the marks now," said Mrs * Patterson, triumphantly,' indicating her dial. "I only struck her m my own defence," observed Mrs Patterson, ""and pulled hex by the! collarette and fur." As Mrs Hooper biffed Mrs Patterson, Mrs Roberts asked, ''Will you face this? 1 ' Mrs Patterson, said,- "Yes." Then Mrs Roberts went m to fetch Mrs Quinn, 1 the lady really responsible , for all the trouble. But she wouldn't come but and face it. When they were better friends' Mrs Hooper had informed Mrs Patterson she had heard that Mrs Roberts had a very bad character; to beware of her and not to mix with her. The opinion came from a person who knew her m K!aiapoi« Mrs Patterson said she had suffered considerable persecution at the bands of the Hoopers. Her gates were left open by the unpleasant family,! and her flowers were picked m a most outrageous manner by title children, who were taught to take a stick and use it m a most disgusting manner, with the advice to- Mrs Patterson to "Take that." Mrs Patterson was also advised, for some reason, to dress her boy m a skirt, and let him be a housemaid. Mrs Hooper also made trouble wi& Mrs Fleming), a friend of Mrs Patterson's. To Mr Hunter,. Mrs Patterson said she had five children and her oldest boy was fourteen. You say they put' their fingers to their nose*; what does that mean?— lt has a very bad meaning. How is it done T-^-Like that. ...{Mrs Patttrson placed a thumb to her hose and extended her fingers ; then joining the thumb other left hand to the little fingee of her right, extended those fingers along m the direction of Mr Hunter.) Counsel: What does it mean? Mr Cunningham : $/Ly friend knows very, well what it means. ' Mrs Patterson asserted that Mrs Hooper was' m the habit of sending her, children out to make insulting remarks to Ml 3 Patterson and her children. Mr Hunter :' I suppose it was just like th« garden of Eden, before Mrs Hooper came ?— Well, it was very peaceable. ' It was just like heaven ?— lt was like heaven to me (fervently). Willie Patterson said he saw Mrs Hoopet punch his, mother on the arm, but didn't . see mother return . the compliment. Mrs Hooper attempted to,kick Mr& Kobr crts, with the re/nark, "I wouldn't COME INTO YOUR DIRTY LOW , „ HOUSE !" , The Hooper children had more than once advised/ him to go and tell his mother to wash her dirty mouth -out ? also that he should put on skirts. A child of eight was also called. Mrs Roberts testified that all of thtf bother dated from' the arrival of Mrs Hooper Tri the neighborhood.' Mrs Roberts said she merely asked Mrs Hoopet to say m front of Mrs Roberts what she had said about her behind her back to Mrs Quinn. Mrs Roberts wanted to produce Mrs Quinb during' the discussion for that purpose. Mrs Roberts said she - didn't see Mrs Patterson strike Mrs- Hooper, and certainly didn't punch her herself; About three months previously Mrs Roberts was taking her husband's tea to him, and met.. Mrs Hooper by the railway gate, when she remarked to some bystanders, "Yes ; that's the thing" (.indi* eating Mrs Roberts) ; "what do you think' of,it?"and the crowd laughed boisterously. <v The Bench fined Mrs Patterson £2 ancl costs, and ordered iier to pay £1 damage to MrsTloopcr's wearing apparel, and imposed a fine of £1 and cos{s on ftjrs Roberts. The J.P,'s declined to bind the ladies over to keep the peace. "