TUMULT AT THE TOWER.

NZ Truth, Issue 407, 12 April 1913, Page 5

TUMULT AT THE TOWER.

coNfusioN mm the chbsstojiirch aocK. SOME PALTRY POLICE PROSECUTIONS. Christchnrch Fathers Kned For Fulminating. ■ ■■;.. ■ . ■•,-' -.;■ . ■ '■ . ' -'/■■ ..■ •-■.■'. {From "Truth's" Qhristchurch Rep.J

Consequent on the disturbances at ! the Clock -Tower, Christchurch, a series of prosecutions came before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M,, at' the, Christchurch SJVL's Court, on Friday of •■last week, Sub-Inspector MacKinnon appearing for the police. • The; first ;. case . called . \yas. that against a young man named Harold Denton, who has figured rather prominently m speechifying _at this particular stand. *■ • Mr. J. A/ Cassidy appeared for the. defendant-'. ' ' The case for the prosecution was that the .language used was inflammatory and calculated.,, to cause a riot. Sergeant Stewart, recently of Mount Cook, Wellington, said that on Saturday; March 29, he was on duty from 7 toll .p.m., and heard several speakers address the crowd at the Clock Tower- among the number being - ■ . ; . COUNCILLORS BURGOYNE AND McCullough. „ There was no disturbance until Denton mounted the box at, 10.50 pjn. In the course of a speech he said that the police had told lies to send young Williams to gaol. He said they were paid 8s 6d a day to tell ; lies. He . arrested Denton, and a riot eventuated. Other' constables arrived, and assisted to get several women, who were (m the crowd, away. ' ■■■■-_,_ , To Mr. Cassidy : Denton started speaking at 10.50 p.m. The respectable portion of the. audience had gone away. Denton had said that the' police received Ss 6d a' day tO: tell lies, and he received 9s a day for honest work. Among the audience was Professor MacGuire; a 1 fortune teller, commonly known as : "Professor Mac." sergeant said^that he was afraid "of 'Denton. "' He swore an information. -•■ Mr. Cassidy endeavored to obtain the exact words m the first person used by the defendant, but, despite repeated efforts, the sergeant persisted m giving the language m his own words, m the third person, and, finally, the sergeant abandoned the attempt. . * ' ■ The sergeant said that DENTON PRAISED HIM UP, but did so m derision, • ■• > . Sergeant Stewart, m "answer to the Magistrate, said that- the crowd numbered about four hundred; "Professor Mac." got a fair hearing, and the police were not applying to have him bound over. ' Constable David Clark said that he was on duty from 9. .'J0 p.m. Ho heard several men address the crowd, including Howard. Denton mounted the platform at 10.50 p.m. and referred to the police as liars. He pointed to Sergeant Stewart, and said, "That is not one of the men who told lies to convict Williams, The police are all liars." Mr. Cassidy : "All mcv are liars." Clark, continuing, said that Sergeant* Stewart went among the crowd ' to obtain names and addresses. There were cries of "Waihi" and "Down with the police." T^he crowd roughly handled tho sergeant. Constable John William Jones saiid that he was on duty until 11 p.m. The crowd was drderly and quiet until Denton mounted tho platform at 10.50 p.m. His evidence was identical with that of. Constable Clark. He said, "One man said I'll pull y OUr _j nose," and added, "The policp accused mo of throwing a misslo, which is a lie." Then Sergeant Stewart come on the scene. Tho crowd , became very disorderly, and the sergeant was pushed about. He and others went to . his assistance, and had to draw their batons. Evidence of a similar character was given by Constables .John Jamieson and John Daley, the latter of whom stated that Councillors McCullough and Burgoyno addressed the meeting. The bench ordered Denton to find sureties m the sum of £20 to keep tho peace for three months. A /mo

of £4 was also imposed for causing an obstruction. " The next case called was that of James McCullough, a member of the City Council, who conducted his own defence; ' s- Formal evidence having been given as m the, former .case, defendant said he had spoken at the same spot no less than twenty times on previous occasions, and HAD NEVER BEEN INTERFERED •.■■■■ • WITH. "Professor" was next called, but he objected to give evirdence on the ground that he was charged with a similar offence, and, •the point not being pressed, he was excused. , . : - t Sergeant-Major Head, .. of the Defence Department, said that the crowd was an obstruction. He was among the audience and spoke to defendant. ' :'"'■•■ • McCullough addressed the court, admitted having- spoken m public, stated that he- did so m the interests of British Liberty,, and would have discontinued had he been asked by the police. The bench convicted him and imposed a fine of £2. • i Other defendants similarly charged were Cuthbert Leo Beary, Councillor Fred Burgbyne, "Professor" W. E. T. MacGuire, "Comrade" Edwin J. Howard, "Comrade" Frederick R. Cooke, Paddy Charles Webb, and James' K. Worrall, who acted as chairman. Mr. Cassidy represented Beary, the other defendants appearing m person. "Professor" ( MacGuire addressed the court at considerable length, pointing out that he was not an anti-militarist, but he was a 6trong advocate of THE RIGHT OF FREEDOM OF I SPEECH. Evidence of a similar character to that given m the preceding cases was adduced m respect of these defendants, and his Worship convicted each of them, with the exception of I James K. Worrall, who acted as chairman of the meeting, whom his Worship acquitted, and fined each of them £2, Beary being fined £8 m respect of an offence of an anterior date,, and £5 m respect of last Saturday's proceedings. For downright police, persecution it would be hard to beat the charges made against a young man named Cuthbert Leo Beary, who was charged before, the Christchurch S.M.s Court with being an idle and disorderly person, inasmuch as he had collected alms m Manchester-street, on the occasion of the recent meetings at the Clock Tower. Sub-Inspoctor MacKinnon, who is usually fair, did not appear to advantage as a public prosecutor. Mr. T. A. -B. Bailey, S.M., presided, and Mr. J. A. Cassidy represented the defendant. Counsel admitted having collected money, BUT SPURNED THE IDEA that it had been for the purpose of collecting arms. He said that the appeal was the usual one which took place every Saturday night. Evidence was given by Constable Packor that he saw defendant going around with a hat collecting money. 'Speeches had been made referring t o the Defence Act and prosecutions thereunder, and that money was re-; quired to pay fines. Constable Poole heard Beary say, "A3 you know ladies and gentlemen, we roquire funds to carry on the work and to pay the fines of the spoakers." His Worship said that although these young men persisted *j n holding meetings at the Clock Tower, they were not • necessarily idle and disorderly. Reputable citizens could, not bo called idle and disorderly, and ho was not prepared to convict '" this instance. Charges against- Cooke and Worrall of assisting Beary were withdrawn.