FORCING "THE DARDANELLES"

NZ Truth, Issue 568, 6 May 1916, Page 7

FORCING "THE DARDANELLES"

.-.'.-- . — ♦ . JIMP GRANT'S SLY-GRO6GERY , 1 A SOLDIER OF THE KING AIDS THE POLICE "' \ A Rendezvous for Our Brave Boys

At the Magistrate's Court^ on. Friday week, a carbolic smoke ball- named James Grant was asked to explain why Edward Crotty had become possessed of a bottle of "frisk" and why he (the smoke ball) had obtained a postal note for 10s, which had been the property of -."Sergeant. Scott previous to the "captain of industry" having traded with Ccotty. As Sergeant Scott possessed the butt of the "postal" it looked odds on : for the "perlice," which was represented by Inspector Hendrey, while the coon was championed by Mr. P. W. Jaeksoh. Mag-istrate Riddell, S.M.,' adjudicated. Sergeant Scott was produced and, put on oath; said that on Sunday, April 23, he had deputed Constable Barnes to keep his lamps lifted on the ; FISH AND CHIPS PAGODA, which is situated at No. 157 Taranaki"streei, and which, appropriately enough, was designated "The Dardanelles Fish Shop." Barnsey did as directed and saw tho results' of the deadly work of the "sleuth."' The "sargint" had examined Mr. Crotty before he went to get the "potty" and had discovered 'on him jhe sum of half-a-crown. "This, together with the note with which he had presented him, comprised his worldly wealth. On the strength of these facts, the sergeant possessed himself of a warrant and boldly forced the Dardanelles. There he discovered mines and torpedoes m the shape of bottles 'of green stripe "frisk" and ditto of amber ale. These he captured and took to 'Fort Cook. , He asked the son of Ham; and eggs to produce his wealth, which he did, and the same amounted to thirty "Jim." All the mines and torpedoes were found m a recess below the stairs; that is, with the exception of a small quantity, which was found m the scullery and m another part of the house. The ham-an'-eggery consisted of a small room at which could be seated four people only. Behind that was another room wherein was a table covered with a blanket, which was saturated with "frisk." When he came across the p.ri. AMONG THE NEGRO'S WEALTH he said to him,. "That is a postal note which I gave to a person to buy this bottle of whisky with." James granted that the inference was correct by sdying, "Yes, that's right." Inspector Hendrey: How many men go hY there m a day?— O"h, 100. What means lias he for supplying meals? — None, of recent date. There was a wash-dish under the counter which smelt strongly of whisky. Who lives \ on the Grant, his wife and his alleged partner, Robinson. Did you find any other men there?— Yes, eight, nearly all soldiers, and mostly under the influence of liquor. ' The sergeant further related how he -j and "Barnsey" went down the passage, i which is beside the ham-an'-eggery, and listened to a conversation. That was on April 6. At the end of the passage they came near to an open window and ;. TI'IE PLOT THICKBNEpr ___ - like pea-soup. They heard Robinson (the pard), tho carbolic, smoke ball, and the "woman known as O'Connor, and now known as Mrs. Grant" In deep consultation. He heard two bottles of beer openod and the money asked for. Grant said, "Never mind the money," They were also playing poker. There was a dispute about some bottles of beer which had been given away, and he heard Grant say that they had to turn it on sometimes. They then went : into a question of figures and Grant | figured that there was a "divvy" of £7 14s to be paid out, and told the son of Ham that his share amounted

to JC4, During- further converaation he ifatheretl thn^ tho iruUf prlcti of beor '«lt the "Dardanelles" wus» twc> "UoV » bottle. MVa. CJraiit sukl, "What about the Iwcr you gave to thy »uilor chapa luat nitcht?" Orunt suld that he'<J have to out oft l>u» "dropping" of beer, Alrn. Grant said. "Quito right, Jim; THERB'S NOTHING IN IT." Mr. Jackaon: Weren't you burprisod to see uo little wtitaky then??-~No, I was not, eon.sidurlnn thi« umoum of trade which hud been dont? th<m>. Of coui'Bt», it w«h v bu«y day. The troops from th<» Tr^ntlmm and l-^athvr-ston caiujwi bad h<,'t?n m and ho must have bt?fj> doinjf v lot of business?—There would be no danger of bankruptcy if every bunlncss did att much olHowhor*. Who Ih Crotty?— A soldier. Ik ho a dummy HoldSorV — No. How did you com** to tjlvo Orntty money to isi't liquor? — I gave it to him. Did you tvH him u> uvt whlsky?--^ Yc:h. \ How did Crotty come to bo ot the polico station?™---1 TOOK HIM TIUCHK. Had you known Crotty befort 1 ? — I had known of him. Who wa» hv with? — Ho was with n countable. There had beon a dl«turb> wnce at tho Hah shop In the morning. Then ho w«s m your avrvlc*. Waa ho paid for it?— No. And hP wax to >ret whisky and bring tlt 10 you? — Yes. it was an arranged thing thai he wn.s to ho watched mo' that'll could not he said that hi< hrul got the whlKky frot.t anywhere* otao. Kdw.jrd Ootty. of D. Company, 35th , ! Rplnforccmen'K. »uld thai h<« kn»nv the i plaro kno'.vn n» th« D«rdrinon<-3 l'\nh j ! Shop, and he alxo romomlorod April 1:3 i;in«i of hl» havfnK nvn\c v romplnmt to Uu« police and rfturnluij to tho chop. i }!i» received th«* pwsial noto from ih«»! evtg*&n» "V; wh«a h« not back 10 Uio j

fish shop and bought a bottle of whisky, for which he paid lls 6d. * Inspector Hendrey: How did you pay for it?— l gave the p.n. and a half-a-crown and got a shilling change. Had you been there before making a certain complaint to the police? — Yea Mr. Jackson: Have you been a constable before? — No. Do you intend to be a constable?— I MIGHT— SOME DAY. Have you offered your services?— (To the bench) : Am I to answer this question? The Bench: Yes, you must answer, Mr. Jackson: And you knew perfectly well what you were doing when you took the money there? — Yes, I did. "John Hop" Barnes said that he had taken a complaint rrom Crotty and that he had seen the p.n. for 10s given to him by, Sergeant , Scott. He had searched his clothing previous* to hte ' I^ANDING AT THE DARDANELLES and, had seen that they contained the note mentioned and 2s 6d. He also saw him after the evacuation of the Dardanelles, and he found him (or his clothing)' to contain one bottle of whisky and one shilling. He had "flown the kite" over the premises during the whole of the morning and had not lost sight of the fishy fortress for an instant During his acts of espionage he had not seen the succulent flounder being frapeed nor the frazzling of any other kind of fish, yet there were twenty or thirty; soldiers of tho King coming and going during the morning. Some came out m a state o* agitation which would have entitled them to a trip to the cells but that their mates were with them and seemed to bo look-, I ing after them. At this juncture Mr. Jackson intimated that, as there were five charges against his client, he did not know to which charge the evidence , referred. f He, therefore, requested that he be ALLOWED TO PLEAD GUILTY on behalf of the Christy minstrel of the Dardanelles. He would like to say a word or two on behalf of his client and would like to point out that he had been a hard-working man who had fallen on evil days. He had been a lireman on board the Flora and had been accredited with good discharges. He had wished to serve his King and country, but had been turned down on account of varicose veins. He served the person and possessions mentioned m the nexr best way that offered— he went as a fireman on the Tahiti to Egypt and took up tho "Dardanelles" as a precarious means of existence. Soldiera had pressed him to sell whisky to them and he, IN A WEAK MOMENT, had yielded to temptation and had fallen into the trap so cleverly set for him. Of course, he admitted that there was a slight smirch on his murky escutcheon, he having been convicted of using highly adulterated language m 1914, and he had also been unfortunate enough to have been accredited with threatening behavior and being an idle and disorderly person m 1916,. "So that the prisoner comes to you as a first offender m this class of offence, your Worship," said Mr. Jackson. "That he made a mistake on that occasion there is no doubt but I ask your Worship to deal leniently with him as he made no profit out of the business." i S.M. Riddell: The business which the defendant entered into is a risky one and he should have known that, and should have been propared to take the consequences. These offences must be met with substantial penalties. Defendant will be fined £25, with 7s costs and 5s one witness's expenses. • Default was fixed at two months' imprisonment. : A CHARGE OF /ASSAULT. After this lot had been nicely settled to the satisfaction of everybody but the carbolic smoke ball, he, was charged with having assaulted Charles Hayoe A young lad named Patrick Daly said that he had seen the coon socking It Into "de white trash" good and hard. "DE WHITE TRASH" appeared to be In an advanced state of intoxo. and was incapable of coping with the burly black bloque. The affray commenced In the shop and was continued outside- the rear of the PenInsular. He saw Huyes knocked down before "he was hardly on hla feet— twice at least, at that. The soldier appeared to be a good man if sober. James Grant, the accused, who has a pair of shoulders on him like the rour premises of a draught horse, then went into the box and said that the soldier hud gone Into the Dardanelles and de-' manded 'am-un'-oggH, bur had refused to pay an Indemnity of two ''bob" for tho asimn. him. Grant emnpUUnwi *o him and he iujked "de white trush" to pun up. "De white traah" Bald.' "Who the crimson Hades are j&u? you black '!" ThlH rlit hla colored "blud" and he remonstrated with "do trash," who hit hlrn and challenged him to "put 'em up." This he did, with the result stated. The man had irmulted him and he had no option other thun to fight. Magistrate Rlddoll differed from him In this urid told him that ho HAD H lB LEGAL RRMI3DV anil that there was no necoßalty to go to th« back to fight a drvmk^n »ohl»ttr. lii> would b# fln<nt 20» with 4» expense*, or twenty-four hours "In." "PRISONERS OF WAR." As a grand ntmlo tut following gentloinun w<?r«> eharg**! with Inhabiting the mvmlstts ut Out time of the "ntid": John Robert Hulerow and Michael Berry, who w«*i'« each flnvd 2G», costs 7». Louis Sij>on, John Slmonon und DoculnUik Donnelly J0«. co»t» 7». In each Instance the default. w»m lixod a: twenty- four hours' irnpriHontiU'nt. The nilerrd "pttrincr." Alburi Edwm j < HoblnnoM. wax churjird with bctnK m occupier of tlu* UiiniunoUim, to wlih*. he plead I'd not guilty. Mr. I. W. Juokson showed th«» w< i v outlon was ouo of pwuvful pe>i<»tmtio; »n<l that \\u w;i« merely v camp follower, not a bolliiifj-fnt. He wuh a> i*iuj»loy«'»'. Ills Worship concurred with this, inn Uobityson Wii9 r«.-j»ut.rittl»>M wiUiuut J BUilii on his ehanictor.