BILL BELCHER "BLISTERED"

NZ Truth, Issue 509, 20 March 1915, Page 8

BILL BELCHER "BLISTERED"

CHASES HIS CAROLINE AND CAUSES COMMOTION A REVOLVER IN THE ROW ■ All Over a "Scrap o' Paper" (From "Truth's" Dunedin Rep.)

Wars begin and barneys, too, And women foam and caper; And men get bagged for things they do — All o'er a "scrap o* paper"! When good old Steve Bore'em annoyed the wowser push and upset Phil Snowden's mendacity, Steve got bagged and the beak sat. on him. And when Bumps Maguire knocked out Jonathan O'Brien, Bumps sat on the beak, and the beak sat on Jonathan. It was all the same. But Bumps had smacked Cordial-corker Still also, so he got bagged and jugged m the end. These were all small sensations. The biggest sensation yet provided by a prominent Trades Unionist was produced m Dunedin by the baggin' ' of good old Bill Belcher, the seamen's sec, and member of the Harbor Board, on which body Bill has done a lot of good, and has attempted to do a lot more. The peelers had come suddenly upon Dunedln's Bill, and to his surprise and great chagrin he was unceremoniously bundled into a cab ahd ,glven a free drive to the Hop station. Bill felt very annoyed over all this, and did not m the least disguise his . anger, either at the station or m the Police Court. The affair- had been so sudden, and being also quite unexpected, there was no soapless audience m Court to see 1 how Bill looked m the dock. He graced it much better than "Bumps," any way, and showed his respect for a Court of Justice m a manner quite becoming. Bill's grievance was against his wife and the demnition foorce , all over . "A SCRAP OP PAPER." The magistrate was Mr. W. Y. WJddowson, S.M., who seldom has had such an important Identity before him as Bill. The latter on the stroke of 10 a.m. took his long steps to the dock, and therein squared himself, straight and fair before the Bench. Both looked long and hard at one another, and just once Bill took an austere squint | at his domestic rib, Caroline, who nervously occupied a seat m Court. Mr. Belcher was charged with assaulting his wife on the 12th inst. Bill pursed his lips. ...-.., "Your Worship," remarked ' defendant, m accents hoarse as a toothless saw, "Is it permissible for a citizen to be held up by a couple of policemen, and bundled into a cab without writ or warrant and taken to /the police station?" , : S.M. (blowing a blob of ink off his quill): That's not the question which arises |»ow, Y,pu are changed with assault" Do' you-plead gu'llty; ! or not? ' Bill (hoarsely and slow) : I plead guilty. 'Spec. Broberg here shoved out his j neck, and bobbing up said: s Shortly Rafter 11 p.m. yesterday the policy were summoned to Mr. Belcher's house m Dundas-street. A neighbor had com- | plained that defendant had a revolver, and that he was chasing his wife round the house. Needless to say, Mrs. Belcher was m a great state of terror. There's a mark on her neck, and there was some blood on her blouse. Defendant was arrested. We have since ascertained that, although the revolver was not loaded at any time dutrng the disturbance, Mr. Belcher had a box of cartridges m his possession, cartridges that would fit .the revolver. I believe that the trouble between Mr. and Mrs. Belcher arose through an notion taken by her to get him prohibited, the notice being served on him on Friday. This appeared to have annoyed the defendant considerably, and he WENT HOME AND ASSAULTED HER. S.M.: Was she seriously assaulted? — Perhaps it would bo better for you to hear herself. Mrs. Belcher! The lady came forward and faced her Bill and the beak. She said, somewhat hesitatingly, "1 was taking the weapon from him, your Worship, when he caught me by the neck, and there's a mark. on my arm where he caught hold of me. As far as I knew, the revolver -was not loaded;. It did not go off, anyway. I had made an application to get him prohibited, and that caused all the trouble. The notice was served on him yesterday. As regards being afraid of him, I urn and I am not, but I have made up my mind to stay no longer m the house with him now. S.M.: You, consider yourself In danger, then, Mrs. Belcher? — Yes, to a certain extent. Bill (seriously): The statement has been made that 1 am an excessive drinker. Mrs. Belcher (with emphasis): So you are. Bill: Have you any evidence to show that? — Your actions m the home. Bill (surprised): Indeed! What actions? — Annoyances and disputes. You called me names on these occasions, wrong names. Bill: And you didn't do or say anything? — 1 retaliated by ußlng somo names to you. That was all. Bill: Why did you apply for a prohibition order against me? S.M.: This is not the time for that question; it has nothing to do with the presont case. Bill (to tho Mrs.): Well, hnvc you evidence to bring forward that will HIIOW | 1 AM AN EXCESSIVE DRINKER ? Mrx. Belche.r: Dr. Fitzgerald am! Dr. Falconer will prove It, If necessary. S.M. (to Hill): I am not Koln* to allow you to roam all over the place with your questions. Have you anything to nay for yourself? BUI: Not much. I have already pleaded guilty to the assault. But I nmy wiy that 1 did It under extreme provocation. Th» provocation Ih the manner In which I have been treated, and then '(here Hill sarcastically droppod into legato monotones) on top of all came, "the Winter" (laughter) to bring m** before the Court to have a prohibition ordvr taken out against me. '"Human endurance," added Hill. with a hoarse crescendo, "haa Its llinHh, and tho limit* have botn reached so far a* I am concerned." S.M.: It doe* not seem »o from the evidence. You conalderoS that an application for a prohibition order was

sufficiently provocative, and your patience gave way under it. That was no excuse for a man to assault his wife. On the other hand, it . does not seem that the assault has been very severe, but Mrs. Belcher was m considerable fear owing to the revolver. I think she was quite reasonable m saying that there may be a certain amount of danger. TDefendant will be bound over to keep the peace; it's the best thing for him m the circumstances. He will ; be convicted In lieu of other punishment, and bound over m his own recognisance of £ 50, and, one surety of £50, to keep the peace, especially towards his wife, for a period of six months. He will have to pay the costs of the prosecution — 6s. Bill complied, and leisurely left the dock. THAT SCRAP OF PAPER. Last Monday Dunedln's Bill appeared before the Magistrate regarding the small matter of a prohibition order — an

(Before the Beak)

application regarding which having been made on his behalf by Mrs. Belcher. • When the case was called, Bill took off his overcoat and came leisurely forward. Mr, Hanlon, who represented Mrs. Belcher, said that Bill had informed him some minutes earlier that he wanted the case adjourned for a week, and that he complied by sending away ! the lady and the witnesses. Bill (to S.M.): I am prepared to see the thing through, but I am -agreeable to an adjournment. " (To Lawyer Hanlon): I'll be here, so bring all you want. The case was adjourned until Monday.