WORDS OF WARNING.

NZ Truth, Issue 405, 29 March 1913, Page 6

WORDS OF WARNING.

Was the Letter from Litchfield ? Labor Man Reardon is Threatened Accused Committed for Trial.

•Before Mr. W. G.. Riddell, S.M., at the Wellington S.M.s Court on Wednesday last, Walter Litchfield, a sheep, farmer, of Maranoa, was charged with having, on or about February 30, 1913, caused to be received by Michael John Reardon, at Wellington, knowing the contents there-

of, a letter containing .threats to kill the said Michael John Reardon.' Chief Detective Broberg prosecuted, and Mr. J. S.. Barton . appeared for the accused. ■ Michael' John Reardon; -residing at 22 Wallace-street, said that he was secret-, a'ry to the Slaughtermen's Union. ,On February 10, 1913, witness^ returned from Gisborne,- and found amorig . other correspondence the letter complained of. Theletter was not opened .then. Witness went to Petorie, and on the way but witness reaQ his con^sppndence. " The following day he left for Patea, and was away three or four days.' On his return to Wellington he > ' HANDED THE LETTER TO THE POLICE. The letter was unsigned. - It was: "M. J. Reardoni Wellington, . •-,;■■ ' "'.'lf you want to keep your job, you had better settle this strike quick. My mortgagee is only waiting for .an excuse to step m, and if I can't sell my lambs within the next fortnight or three weeks, he .will get his chance, and I shall be ruined. If that happens, it will not matter - what happen* "ttf'.jjlfc' ,-af ter. I don't want to* be ruined 'or hung, 1 but if I am through you, t Vlir send you to Hell first, and though you may have a few ■; weeks start of me and hell Is a big place, Til find you if it does_take most of eternity to do it. Then it will be Hell indeed - for you, and perhaps for both of us, so if you don't want your wife to be a widow, settle the strike at once, or I'll settle you. "Presidents, kings, emperprs sometimes die before they are ready, so don't cry if you bring a sudden end on yourself." : - The envelope was addressed, "His Imperial Majesty. M. J. Reardon, Tsar of all the New Zealand strike promoters, etc., etc., Wellington, or elsewhere." Witness did not know accused. He had never received a letter from a person named Lltchfield before. To Mr. Barton: Witness regarded the letter as a serious Import and threat. It did not appear to him as A BURLESQUE ON INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES, i The address on the envelope suggested a Joke to witness. ; He (witness) took the threat seriously. Louis GriflUhß, auctioneer residing m Blenheim, was the next witness. He knew George Owen Waddy, bank manager at Blenheim, Waddy and witness were trustees for Elizabeth "Wynn Williams. Witness knew accused. The document produced was a bailment over sheep. It was over accused's sheep. Accusod was the Peraon referred to In tho. bailment. To Mr. Barton: He was prepared to swear that tho mortgage was still operative. Ho had no intention of taking oustody of the sheep. LltchQeld was not Jn arrears., Ho had paid up to date. Ho knew other settlors m the Manaroa distriot who had mortgages over their sheep. Charles John Kjng.. police constablo m charge at Plcton, stated 'that on February W, 1912, he. received a letter through tho post, at Plcton. The letter was from Lltchfield, Manaroa. Pelorous Sound, and dated February 2 9 . W2. It read as follows:— To tho Ofllccr m Charge of the Police Station, Picton. Sir,. On tho 13 of last December I telegraphed to you to tako out a prohibition order against Frederick E. LHchfleld. I have noyer received any reply, and do not ,know whethor you did It or not, but m any case ho has boon getting liquor ovor since, and tho matter is so aorlouH now that something must bo dono to stop It. If you do not tako out an order agalnat him I shall hold you responsible If anything serious happens, for 1 consider ho la really dangerous. In his present state, and may do an Injury to hlnißdf or someone else. Ho will not appear to oppose this order, therefore hoping you will do It at once, as quietly as you can. I remain. Your* respectfully. \ \V. LtTCHPIELD. Detective Lewis deposed that on March 8 ho saw tho accused Wulter Lltehneld at tho Trocadero Private Hotel. Wellington, and showed him the letter produced by Constable King, ami asked him If bn ha«l written It. He examined It. an I rcpHed that he had. \\'ltno*n then roforrcd to the letter n<l<lrc>JMU?<l to Secretary to Slaughterman* Union. ACRUHCd declined to answer «ny que#Uon*. Aftor receiving tho nummons accused »Ald that ha did not Intend to appear, and added, "YOU CAN'T OKT ANY MONEY OUT OP MR. H will havo l» K'J by dtffttitll" To Mr. Bart«»n: Ho tlld not think n warrant for urreM wnjt necenwtry. \Vltoh wltncMtii first "'(ml to Manaran accused wttji away. Albert Forrcat. rowlillnjj at 110 Ade-hvtdo-rottd. retired from Bank of New

ZtftWitt'l. •Wltnciw h«u! had 30 yearn' oxperionco and expert knowledge of imndwriUnjf. AY tb« requotit of Dotoctlvo I^wl*. wUnww compared tfte oxhlblln <iho lclt«*n«). TI <« jcwncral chantcterl«Ua« wctii <° nhow thai the narno person hn<! written them. I>pfen4anl p!««M n»J s«m>'. and wn^ committed to th * Supreme Court for » Hal. Mail. *elf m £i 0 nn»l two .auratiwt of jCSS each, wiu allt^voO.