CHEEKY COOPER

NZ Truth, Issue 568, 6 May 1916, Page 10

CHEEKY COOPER

A Let-off for a Lad Railway Carriage Inotdent. "Let This be' a ' Lesson .to You/ 1 (From "Truth's" ChrlstchurclT Bep;) ; Thomas Cooper, i a "soldier from "the • Oamaru district, was paraded m the I Chrlstchurch Magistrate's Court, 'bo- ' fore Magistrate Bailey last week, "oh ' a oharge of carrying, "staggorjulce" above his Pllmsoll .mark, and also with having, on the occasion 'of,'* the same jag, which occurred In opo of Mr. HJley's railway carriages? between Dunedln and Oamaru, indecently .assaulted a woman. „ JLawyer Cassidy appeared on C6open's behalf and hiuted that If tho big charge was shaved down to one of common or garden assault, Cooper probably would bow his head In ! ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE , . - IMPEACHMENT Sub-inspector Mullany acted on the hint and told the S.M. . that Cooper had boarded the train at Dunedin on final , leave and ' was very , much "mustxed." He had swivelled hia eye onto a lady who, woo reclining on the seat m a -second-class carrldEe. v un4er the guardianship of her husband, and after lashing out with a glad-oyo,' he upended the garden of Eden aot arid' offered ' her an apple, which was accepted, more with tho object of getting rid of Cooper than for the sake of the apple. Cooper then melted away, but came back a bit later and attempted to kiss the lady, who screamed and flopped over into hysteria, when Cooper attempted a further indignity. Lawyer Cassidy reckoned that Cooper bore a "bosker" character and hnd Earned a whole heap of good conduct marks m camp. Ho had boon very ."mouldy" on tho day In question nnd had no recollection of tho occurrence. After saying goodbye to bis multitude of pals down south, his mind was a blank. A sergeant-major In court, and also the lady's husband said a bit which was neither hero nor there, and tha S.M. ventured the opinion that It was over tho odds that a man should MOLEST A WOMAN In a railway carriage. Drink, however, seomod to be the scapegoat for;

the present bother, and there, appeared to hayo been no iudecent intent. The charge was therefore narrowed down to common assault Cooper pleading guilty and being fined £6 and witness's expenses, £1 14s. lit Imposing the penalty, the S.M. remarked, "Let this be a lesson to you. my man," to \vhlch Cooper replied, "Yes, sir, I'll leave the women alon*» now, all right, 1 ' Tho §.M. gently pointed out that ho meant that Cooper should leave tho booze alone.