SARAH'S SCRAP.

NZ Truth, Issue 252, 23 April 1910, Page 6

SARAH'S SCRAP.

Beats a Bailiff.

A spirited scrap, between . Mrs Sarah jßrookland and an aged bailiff -named Michael Murphy beguiled an interesting hour m the Magistrate's Court, ; Christchurch, the other day, when Mr Bailey, S.M., sorted the oats Irony/the chaff m a s&ck of . evidence; Sarah,, for whom Mr Leathern appeared, charged Michael with assault, and the elderly 'bum,, legally .squired fey Mr Donnelly, laid. across information .against SarahVior. ther-same offence. Tfl&kuiy and her husband used to live m. another house, owned by one jJKaagj and shifted their fofangiogs to 30 ; .Goldsmith Road. It was a question of '(whether Murphy, as, bailiff, cou-ld enter J. one bouee-and distrain upoadurniture for fc ftjjH : hr if^m^jf another house, but that was ~^fyo ;&s&£& ** c < * al^ °* assault. ff f '^Pf^f&flljof Mrs Brookland, \*sjs{f, it would ap- ''? :#ty occurred on ! -^ilpci^d, she '' •' *\ ar ~ ; ivheti^ilEn = ... : '• • M him away : Jred that he \ffl and biffed ath it several language was jTcalleil her a */iad never seen c ' ;ia receipt given rcmarke/i "ft like tiyat .r|e said #hat his residfjnee, 10. The chair afgarden, aifd had. yj^vious tenar/"t. It j^came autl the

ithings, next da 7,. hut shefrenied'tnafc the ;rent was owing. Mr Donnelly explained that m cerItain circumstances a landlord had the right to take furniture within a given period after the tenant had left his house, and Murphy was there m his cayacity as fcailifi. Mrs Broo-iland denied him admission and seized the leg of a chair to enforce her arguments. Murphy was immediately under the timber every > time it descended, and he took the piece of furniture from his enraged: assailant. Murphy confirmed this. At one time he :occnpied a good positiott.in. Christchurch, he said, but "was driven to the bailiff fine of business to- earn an honest crust. | The occupation had its disadvantages. ! When he first sighted his enemy, for in- | stance, she was armed with a cbair leg and wore a determined expression, be- , sides clothes. Michael did his duty unflinchingly., however, and received the wood 'on. has shoulders ; she next struck him on the little Mary, a. more vulnerable part,, and he thereupon seized the weaiion, wxetiched it from the woman, and threw it away. He didn't strike ! her ; he didn't reg-coach her upon her poverty at virtue ; he never used such, an expression to a vionaan m his life. .When he notified her of. his mission - it was Sarah who said she, would see him tf— d first. Next day he visited the prs- ' mises, accompanied by a policeman, and enough articles were delivered up to satisfy the claim. A bike, tafcen on the previous ' day and belonging to somebody else,, was returned. Mr Leathern : Were you sober ?—Decidedly. There are witnesses here to prove jit. •■■•■■. Alfred Richard Sawtell, a carrier, who accompanied Murphy, said that when Mrs Brooiciand came round the corner of the house her implement of offence was the piece of furniture already mentioned, which she exercised on Murphy. She was weeping bitterly at the tSme, and appeared to be laboring under strong excitement. To Mr Leathern : They had a drink on the way', up to the house- This apparently nerved them for the violent interview. Mnrphy had . served a distress warrant on the lady before, according to Murphy. > His Worship resiewed the facts and dismisseri.the charge- against Murphy. Mrs Bxookland was fined 10s and costs.