HALSWELL HOODLUMS.

NZ Truth, Issue 184, 26 December 1908, Page 6

HALSWELL HOODLUMS.

Taylor's Terrible Tongue. The time of Christchurch S.M. Court Was occupied for several hours on Friday of last week investigating a casein which a gang of young ruffians were concerned at Halswell, which suburb does--nt seem to be able to profitably employ ■the youth of the neighborhood. It was: the ancient foolishness of "tack-tacking," or what we comparative oldsters called is the days; of callow youth. Apparently the evidence outside, the gang themselves ; seems to have been. . obscure, for Constable O'Brien, whose manly form, bestrides a Government charger m the district, cleverly obtained statements from all of them, and then one section was used to gut the other up. The bulk of the disgrace, however, fell on a red-headed young man named Herbert Taylor, who was charged with using obscene language to an, elderly fcuster named Benjamin Streeter, m addition to ' "tick-tacking" at Ms door.. tPherie were two o finer charges of disturbing an ancient .named William Gar troll by "tick-tacking" and throwing stones on ' his house. Charlie Chesmar was charged merely with, the disturbance, and it was decided to take the case of Taylor first, Mr Donnelly using hjs eloquence with Jelicoistic warmth m tine- young man's favor. . . ' ; : Old man Gartroll's evidence was merely as to the occurrence, which included ■*' tick-tacking" and stone^throwirig. The patriarch's yellow wig failed to cover THE GREY PART, OF HIS HEAD that it probably once matched, ;;nd' the artificial appendage shook perceptibly as he mentioned that the: cow was *smG3 and ■ sounded like a thunderstorm upon $he roof. ■ . Ernest John (or "Jack") Streeter swore that he was present at the time' End saw Taylor go into Gartroll's place,; affix the string and stone to the door knob, pull the same, and when the .result was not satisfactory, threw . stones on .the roof. To Mr Donnelly : There were also present the two Chesmars and Collins, who accompanied the others to the house to Benjamin Streeter, . who was- uncle to "Jack." Charlie Chesmar affixed the cotton to the door at this place. He remained on the road, while these things went on at Uncle's and said nothing. He ■would not have uttered a word had not the police taken proceedings. They also went to Clark's. ' ; Sorsfield Collins, a big-made boy' of IS with the complexion of a Sjpaoiard, swore that either Taylor or Charlie /Ohesmar pulled the string m aIL three places, but no stones were thrown on the house while Collins was m their company. l ." r In reply to Sir Donnelly, Collins acknowledged that he had enjoyed the fun, kut would have enjoyed it better had old man Gartroll come out a'lid chased them. "Jack" Streeter affixed the * ( tick-tack" to Clark's. F f Benjamin Streeter, whose "house had fbeen first assaulted, gave evidence to jthat effect. - This was the man to whom obscene language was alleged to ;bave been used by Taylor, but the blanky/was made the subject of a separate charge. Mr Donnelly submitted that- rtbefe should he' no conviction on the evidence, but the J.P. Bench, of which Hargrjeaves wag chairman, called upon him fofr his defence; Taylor's yarn was to the effect . that he Was down at his tent at' Hailswell \yh4n Jack Streeter arrived and ! asked him and the Chesn-ars (who live $n another suburb;) / TO COME AND .PLAY "TICK-t( A.CX" at Ben Streeter r s house. "He's d. relative of mine and won't mindj ' said Jack. Taylor said he was a spJjtator, and took .no .part m the disturbs* ice.- , Sergeant Johnston : How old 1 af :e you? \ Yet you were induced to go OT.lt by a lad ?— (No reply.) < The witness acknowledged signing a statement to the effect that W h a d requested Jack tb go down to Clark's. Charles Chesmar, a sun-biirnti young man of ;21, who looks 17, admitted putting the "tick-tack" on Stpeeter's. d.ior, ■when he and Taylor and his ■ brother .went ..on to Clark's, where. Jack fetreeter ■did the trick. He knew r.-othing of Gartroll's, and Taylor threw;- no stones there. This was corroborated uy Geo. .Chesmar, a brother of (Jharlie, aged 16. Mr Hargfeaves, J.P. i We berieve the whole crowd of them on|ght'*6 JbefUturg,ed. ■ -„.': ';/:,' .'.■■ Of course if this were done the boys .couldn't be compelled to gifts evidence against each other. The decision m this case ;was reserved until that of using obscene language had been disposed of. ■ Ben Streeter then stated that when he ; left his Halsweirhome m a' natural state of wrath after his rest b 1 ad been destroyed, he was confronted by Taylor, who offered . to tafce off .'niS 1 . . coat and fight the old man. "You blanky old hlankard," yelled Taylor ; "I'll knock your blanky head off yon.* ' The roysterer also made use of other (unspecified) horrible expressions. / . Frank Streeter, a bow of thirteen, and a son of Ben, gave ewl dence'. as to the filthy expressions useft.,' and which his father couldn't bring t.is lips to utter. Sarsfleld Collins srii'd he saw Ben Streeter come down fjhe road with a bi& stick m his hand, >and femark, "What •are you strangers doing at my door?" "Whose blanky do or ?" queried Taylor, m return. "My 60 or," said Streeter. "YOU'RE A BLANKY LIAR," .rejoined Tavlor. Charlie Chesmar chipped m and !taii\ l "If you hit me With that stick, I'll . be the last you'll ever bit;" Taylor Men remarked, "I've got a stiok, too, iStrce' If you were a man you'd put down that stick and %ht." Collins gf we evidence as to certain obscene- obsr evvations made by Taylor. "Jack" Sttf eeter also gave evidence ,as to thc ; fe.^ pressions used, but his blanky 'differed I rom those mentioned by other-W itnesses; Mr Donnelly ; pointed out the extreme variety of the blaoiky used by all the vitnfsses and Mie faci? that it didn't corrasjiond wityU tltie words m the information. He cajfed Taylor, Charles Chesmaf. and Gpo< Chesmar, who swore that the lans^Ui\Ke .bad not been used. Moreover, that the th tee m question, witli He» Streeter, wer t the only ones present at the time. That the two Streeters and Collins bad, moved away. They arc-used Ben Stre eter of bad language. _ ; However,, the E tench convicted and fmep Taylor 80s sad costs ob the obscej|?

language charge, and dismissed the cases of creating a -disturbance. ''Think yourself lucky," said the chairman. By leave of the, Court the charges against Charles Chesmar .were drawn./