A LASH AT LEWIS.

NZ Truth, Issue 170, 19 September 1908, Page 5

A LASH AT LEWIS.

HOW A SPIELER WAS SPOILT.

Jackson, the Toeballer, Takes

a Hand.

Doleful Dale Distinguishes Himself.

William Lewis, a well-known personage of the spieling and balancing fraternity, appeared m a new role at the Wellington Magistrate's- Court yesterday, when he entered < the -witness-box as complainant m a charge of assault against Frederick Jackson, a member of the An r glo-Welsh team which recently visited Mew Zealand and who earned some notoriety by reason Of his recall to face an investigation . i .-■../.. INTO A CHARGE PROFESSIONALISM against him. Jackson returned to New Zealand by> the Maitai, which arrived at Wellington on Thursday, ami m the afternoon, managed to have an argument with the previously mentioned William Lewis, on Lambton Quay, relative toy the* latter having ; taken 'down a young man m Sydney. Jackson endeavored to make Lewis disgorge his ill-gotten gains and had hold of him by; the coat collar, when an officious cppman m the person of Doleful Dale cairie along and Lewis, putting on a 'bold face and assuming an air of injured ibnocence, gave J ackson m charge for assaulting him. The "Evening Post" of Thursday referred to the incident.,- m a manner whjch reflected discreditably on Jackson, but when Lewis got into the witness-box a different construction was put on the incident altogether. Lewis said he had np : , witnesses to, call, and desired to withdraw the charge. , •

Mr T.M. Wflf or d, who appeared for ,J ackson, -was „ proceeding, to make a statement, when Mr Riddell, S.M M said he drd not. think it .was necessary as complainant had withdrawn the. charge. Mr Wilford, J however, said that owing to the publicity which had already been given to the case 'by the daily press, he

DESIRED TO MAKE A STATEMENT m the interests of ' his client. He went on to say that Jackson arrived .by the Maitai, having travelled as a saloon passenger, and Lewis, who was a well-known "Welsher" and spieler from Pahiatua, arrived* by the same boat as a steerage passenger. Lewis came over without previously paying his fare and the stewards did not succeed m obtaining' the fare until the boat arrived m the stream . While ih Sydney a young man who was also a passenger by the Maitai was- accosted by Lewis, who pitched a yarn about having two dogs, which he would be glad if the young man would take charge of on; the voyage. HeaLso said that he had a farm at Christchurch , and wdMld give him a.billet at 30s a week and his keep. The pair took/ a stroll 1 along Sussex-street and eventually arrived at the Melbourne Shipping Company's office, where Lewis said he had some business to do. and after going into the office came out and pitched the usual confidence yarn that he was £2 short of a required amount and. had only a cheqtoe.' The young fellow was persuaded to lend Lewis the /£2, and pulled a purse containing £14 out of his pocket for this purpose when

LEWIS SNATCHED THE WHOLE LOT and disappeared. Lewis was not seen again by the: young man until the voyage to New Zealand , was nearly over, and the mean skunk; : jjajd (the audacity. to deny all knowledge of the' transaction. On. the boat • the "welsfiOT" from Pahiatua appears to ha've^^taken others down, k as v he succeeded m depriving a young Scotchman named Ohishplm of. £4 by means of what is termed "Farmer's Glory" and tlie "cold deck" m poker. When the "gun" arrived at Wellington Detective Lewis came aboard and the matter was referred to him. Lewis was persuaded to hand back £5, but declined to refund the other £9 which he had . obtained by means of the 'confidence trick, because he had paid his fare (£4) out .of this sjum. The two young men on arrival 1 at Wellington made the acquaintance of Jackson, and revealed their adventures with Lewis to him. Jackson felt indignant at, such treatment, and as the trio met the taJte-dowh m Lambton' Quay, the footballer said / that he would try to obtain the young men's money for them. He was having a gentle argument with Lewis and, bad hold of him by... .the coat when ' ' _

SERGEANT DALE CAME ALONG. Lewis at once put on a bold face on the matter and gave the footballer m charge. His Worship .accordingly dismissed the information. • /

In dismissing the case, of course, Magistrate Riddell 'had no option, and it is a thousand pities that Lewis, the scaling rogue that he/ is, was not prevailed upon to proceed with the case, because some nice disclosures; would have come from his own lips. Moreover,' Jackson is to be commended for the .action he took and had he given Lewis a thorough thrashing, the rogue would have only got what he deserved. In calling on the police to arrest Jackson and then withdrawing tlie information, Lewis played the part of a. poltroon. If there were more men of the Jackson type m our midst there would be less rogues of the Lewis type prevailing m Wellington and preying upon everybody unfortunate enough to come m contact with them. The police, too, m arresting Jackson on what at most was

A MERE TECHNICAL ASSAULT, are not deserving of any thanks for their promptitude. This Sergeant Dale Has been extremely quiet of late, but during his stay m Wellington jfns all-round officiousness had earned him much unpopularity. It is policemen of the Dais stamp who are a menace ftc the public? He has no tact whatever. He is a bully and a bounce and m running Jackson m he. has placed another feather m his, cap. He is a calamatous cop is Dale and had* he but only enquired into the circumstances when he discovered Jackson holding Lewtis by the coat, he would have spared the Anglo-Welshman ' the indignity of being locked up and made tlie subject of sundry paragraphs m the pl'ute .press, which, believing Jackson to be a professional footballer, spught to &et "one" home m an indirect way.