"POOR OLD DAD."

NZ Truth, Issue 276, 8 October 1910, Page 6

"POOR OLD DAD."

THE WOMEN WERE HAVING 4 ; WORDS. ! A Hot Time In Holland Street. What Struck McCallum? :

!A.t the Wellington Ma'gistrate-'s; Court on Wednesday, before Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., George Joseph Beasley was charged with having assaulted Robert Agnew McOallum on September 27, causing him actual bodily harm. Sub-Inspector Norwood conducted the prosecution, and Mr V. Meredith appeared for the accused. Dr. Edward George Brown said that on September 28 McOallum was received into the Wellington Hospital suffering from wounds on. the head. The patient would be discharged as an impatient m a day or two,, hut his injuries would require attention for another ten days or so. Witness did not anticipate any serious trouble.. Robert Agnew McCallum, with his head and tem-ples bandaged -up, then went into the witness-box. He said he was a laborer residing ; at 12 Hol-land-street, Wellington. On September 27, about 6 p.m., he went to 20 Holland-street, four doors distant from his own, occupied by tJb® accused. His wife had gone there previously to obtain a bowl which she had lent them. On entering he saw his wife. He also saw a woman witih whom accused is living, and who is known as "Mrs Beasley." (There was no evidence before the court,

other than McCallum's insinuation, that this woman was not accused's lawful wife.) The two WOMEN WERE HAVING AN ARGUMENT. Witness thought it advisable to interfere, and endeavored to induce his wife to leave. While he was endeavoring to get his wife away, someone came behind him ; he looked round and was promptly knocked down. In falling, he struck against the side of the wall. While picking himself up, be received another blow. No one was rioar at the time except accused. He could not say how the blows were 'given; he did not see' either' of them ' coming. He was sober. He did .not remember anything further until he found himself against a fence trying to stop the blood from his head. He | was taken to his house, and Dr. j Young attended to him. , Next day |he was ordered to the hospital. He had recently had a n accident which had caused concussion of the brain and an injury to Ms spine, -and was still very weak m consequence. He had been up only a few days at the time of the assault. He had given accused no provocation, and had never spoken to him m his life. . Elizabeth McCallum, wife of . the last witness, said that about 6 p.m. on September 27, she went to Hol-land-street, and proceeded up the right-of-way between it and the adjoining house, and knocked at the door. She saw Mrs Beasley. ' She called for the return \of a bowl she had lent her. Mrs Beasley rushed out and punched witness, and knocked her down, and when she got up, Mrs Beasley knocked her down again. Then McCallum came m and stood between them. Accused next c&me on the scene, and he started to punch McCallum all down the passage. McCallum was knocked down by accused, and, when he got up, he was knocked down again. Witness next saw her husband standing against a fence and "bleeding dreadfully," and she went • for assistance. She got her husband home. After accused had knocked her husband down the first time, „ she. said, "Mr Beasley, don't hit my poor old dad, he's been ill so .long!" Constable Grant said that m consequence of a complaint, he visited 12 Holland-street, Wellington, on September 27, when he saw McCallum sitting m a chair suffering from two

woun-ds on the left side of his face. Dr. Young arrived while he was there) and he saw one wound stitched up. The wound appeared to have been caused by a kick. There was a little dirt m the wound. McCallum and Mrs McCallum were both sober. Witness and Constable McKclvie afterwards searched accused's premises, but did not find anything likely to have caused the wounds. They saw accused, who said he had pushed McCallum out into the street' where he had FALLEN BACKWARDS INTO THE ROAD. Witness examined the spot indicated by accused, but saw no trace of a scuffle. He then examined the passage, and there found two blood marks on the right side near the footway. Witness also noticed that some water had recently been thrown on the footpath m front of number i 18, about three or four yards from | the right-of-way. McCallum was not m a lit condition to make any statement. The accused reserved his defence, . pleaded nob guilty, and was committed Tor trial at the ensuing criminal sittings of the Supreme Uourt m VvelJinpcton. Bail was allowed, accused m i £80, and two sureties of £10 each.