"THE YHIOW PERIL"

NZ Truth, Issue 570, 20 May 1916, Page 7

"THE YHIOW PERIL"

A FRACAS IN A "FLUpY" WHY WAS YET WAH WALLOPED ? Allegations Against a Chinaman, The Prosecutor m an Assault Case

A case of alleged assault was commenced at the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, on Monday, before Mr. D. G.

A. Cooper, S.M., when two young men named Joseph Brennan Wareham and Lacy Uston Bruce Wallace were charged with having, decorated .the

physiognomy of a , "Chow" fruiterer named Tet Wah, who purveys potatoes, etc., at 2<Jo. 110 Willis-street. ; The alleged assault took place on the night of March 11 and resulted m THE ORIENTAL IDOL being dry-docked for. a' few days for repairs. ■ > Inspector Hendrey conducted the case on behalf of China and the defence was m the hands of Mr. J. J. McGrath. ; ;/■ Tet Wah, who appeared m court with a brace of plumbago-colored optics, plus a damaged dome and a few odd lesions to his sorry-looking countenance, extinguished the vesta and said that he remembered the night of the 11th (he had cause) when a lady came into his potato© emporium and purchased four bottles of soda- water. There were two men, evidently friends who stood at the door. ; Then the two men entered without the pass-word, and Wallace, stood next to the lady, while Wareham came round the counter. Tet Wah said "wha-fo?" and ordered them to retreat. Tet Wah walked up to them when they made war on him with Hunnlsh vigor. He blocked them from advancing further when the main body of 'the enemy (Wareham) . ■".■'■ CAUGHT HIM A BELT over the thought-box that disturbed 1 the whole of his philosophy and confused his political ideas. Then the reserves m the shape of Wallace marched to the front, but was partly repulsed by the lady who endeavored to retard his advance, pushing htm (the reserve) towards the door. The enemy continued to belt Hades out of him, and "when they were quite satisfied, the lady pushed the two gentlemen towards the door. Tet Wah then commenced to make war on the attackers by flinging an iron weight at thorn, but it missed. The enemy retreated arid went into the house the next but one to his fruit fort. A lady then conducted him to the doctor. Inspector 'Hendrey: Was there any one else m the shop except the two men and the lady? — No. Did a tall man come m and hit you? — (>Vah was terglversatory about this. H* - ■;■■ " ; " *"■■' .-■ ... ;■' TOO MUCH KNOCK- UM POUT 1 tarn' lallikln all-same *Sft> lemember allo time. He could not remember, but ha didn't think so. He waa dazed). Tho witness said he knew the young woman who came m the shop with the men; he had seen her before when Bhe came intp his shop for purchases. He had not done anything to the young woman, had not touched, spoken to or misbehaved himself with the younjt lady m any shape or form. He had done nothing to the two men to make them assault him m the way described, v*. In answw to MniMcGrath he said that he had seen b^Tof the young men before In his potato palace. They had no grudge against him that he Knew of. He was 4$ years of age and couUI give no reason for the attack. Mr. McGrath: Did you ever take hold of her hand or put your hand onto a trinket round her neck and ask hor if she was married?— No. I referred to the trinket one day and said that It was very pretty. In what way, by putting your hand on her body and taking the trinket up In the other hand to look at It?— NO, BT POINTING AT IT. Why? Did you know the lady at all? — She had been m the shop two or three times. \ Did you take hold of her hand? — No. How did you "block" him (Wareham)?— By pressing him back wUh my

[ hand. (Here Wareham was showing to be wearing an enlarged eye with a couple of incisions running through it and a battle scar on the side of his brain tank). | And will you deny that before Wai-" lace came on the scene that you knocked him (Wareham) on the head With a soda-water or: lemonade bottle and split It?— I didn't use a ,sodawater or lemonade bottle. And you threw a weight at them?— Yes, but it missed the man. Here Wallace took off his coat and ' exhibited a scar on his elbow at which the inspector remarked: "That was never done with a weight, more probably , BY A WOMAN'S" CLAWSv" The Inspector; What was the weight?— A lib weight. Mr. McGrath: You say that you were dazed. If I put m evidence to show that a tall man came In and knocked you about, can, you deny it? —Yes, I will say for certain that no other man came m. . Will you aeny that .^l the trouble arose over your troatment of a woman?—l deny it.Have you had previous trouble over European women and girls? Here the smiling and bland said that he never nrtake-e love to EuTopean woan an* Mle gel.,. He no make-e klss-e )il f gel five year ole; no make-e shee some ullergfel com to Eulbpean lady, no gel no lady 'tall.' He shee one te

Shatterdee bifor to lallikln he com. Whlte-e woman she com an' dance abowt-e floor t'en go 'way i He would deny that he had put his hand on the .breast tof the second lady and that he had asked her, lf she was married. He had " not tapped- the lady, subject of the case, under the chin and said that she was "A WELLY NICE LIL' GEL." At this stage the whole shooting-box was adjourned till Thursday, when Henry Jackson, the Interpreter, held out the glim, which was promptly doused by the Mongol. Mr. McGrath took up the running and asked if the son of Heaven (?) remembered a lady and gentleman coming into i has shop. about the end of last<year and his making on insulting remark to the Slady, The Inspector reckoned that the evidence was inadmissable. Mr. McGrath opined that it had everything to do with the case. "Since the publication of the evidence I have received letters from' six different ladies and have boen interviewed by some of their husbands. It will be for YSOSi Worship to cay whether this Chinaman is telling the truth or if he is ■ A MENACE TO THE COMMUNITY. I have letters from three ladles and two or them are hero now at too dlreoMon of Uwlr husbands," said Mr. McGrath. The "fluteler" reckoned that he had not at any time offered a lady £1 to' visit him. He had never been threatjened by a gontloman for Insulting his as a rv wT&. and by an ° ther *>* "John Hop" Sawyer gave evidence of having accosted the two sons of Mars and of certain statements which they had made to him. Waretoam admitted that he had been belted by the "Chow " but he^ was willing to let the matter drop. He had gone to tho shop with his lady friend, and, while she was purchasing; some goods, the evil -looking Chinkle had SEIZED HER LILY-WHITE HAND. The Inspector: The other man evidently uaed "a" flst, as his other arm is paralysed?— Yes, ™ Mr. M cGrath : Did Wareham seem

knocked about? — He looked as it he had had a doing. Detective Tricklebank then detailed his share of the work, and this lot ended m very bitter words between "Mac." and "Trick." Ditto plain clothes Constable Burnett, minus the ascerbity of speech. Lacey Wallace then grot into the box. His arm is. PERMANENTLY OUT OF ACTION He followed along on the night of the engagement and was just m time- to hear Wareham say to China, "What do you want to insult this girl for?" He went to. the edge of the counter and the "Chow" made a kick, at him (Wareham) and also punched him. Mr. McGrath: What did Wareham do?— He sailed into him. (Laughter.) Continuing, witness* said that the "Chow"- hacV Wareham's head and' hands bent down when he got m and tried to separate them. Before that witness punched China a bit of a, "beaut," whereupon that chivalrous gentleman flung a weight at him and struck him. on the arm, doing ditto to Wareham -with a bottle, which he applied, to the eye. Mr. McGrath: What condition of temper was the Chinaman m? — Oh, he was fairly mad. (Laughter.) In answer to. the bench, witness said that he had not seen anyone else dealing out disaster to the "Chinkle," There was a crowd around the door, but he got out as quickly as possible as he thought he might be "bottled." To Mr. McGrath: He believed that Wareham was m danger as the "fluiteler" was' a big man compared with hla friend. The young lady had not tried to pull either of them away at any time. If he had not put his arm up to stop the weight which the ''Oriental splendor" had flung at him, his head would have suffered. : Then Inspector Hendrey took a hand and put ponderous questions to the witness, after THE MANNER OP THE INQUISITION. Where did he live, and how long had he known Wareha^m. He lived at the New Commercial ' The Inspector: Who are the girls? — I have known on© of the young women three or four weeks; I met her with her friend. Is Wareham related to her?— No. , Are you keeping company with her? -I go out with her. With what intention— with the in-* tentioi* of marrying her? . Mr. McGrath: Surely, your Worship, this is irregular. Perhaps the Inspector may want to know if they make love and how they do it. (Laughter:) The Inspector: Well, I am NOT TOO OLD TO LEARN. Are you engaged to marry either of the ladles? — No. •■ # They are just female acquaintances? —Yes., ".:■ .■ ■■■■ : •"■■-■ .: Is your mother here? — Yes. Would you take them, (the ladle's) to your mother's house?— Yes. Did you have strong drink In their company? y The strong drink question drew a strong protest from Mr. McGrath, which was upheld by the Bench whioh reckoned the Inspector's method of, cross - examination had gone " far enough. The witness admitted that he had Ingurgitated two "or three small shandies, but nothing more. They were up at Mrs. Pearce's, 114 Willls-

street, and the soda water was to have been taken there by the lady. At this stage it was decided to give the business a shift on and the next act m the drama comes off on Tuesday next.