"A DELIBERATE LIE!"

NZ Truth, Issue 946, 12 January 1924, Page 6

"A DELIBERATE LIE!"

■' ' ♦ Chicf ♦ Detective Choleric. "Are the police In the habit of blackening men's faces or Is it only the characters they blacken?" was the remark made by Lawyer Sievwrlght m the Wellington. Police Court this week, a remark which sent Chief -Detective Kemp leaping to hla feet. "I suppose you think that's smnrt." he said. "What is it you want to know? I've been able to'onswer most of the questions you've asked hero lately." , . The Bench hero Intervened and tho hearlns proceeded. The remark was made apropos the fact that a negro had not been surrounded, by other colored men for • Identification purposes, tho Chief -Detective obsecvinflf tlu\t it was uaolena to put him amongst Europeans unless their faces were blackened. : Lawyer SiovWright went on for a moment and then onca again \vasat cross purposes with tho potlco. He asserted that the Chief- Detective put words Into v witness's mouth for repetition. Witness: "No, I said it first. 1 " ~ ■Lawyer Slevwrlßht: "You said It after the Chlef-Dctectlve." The Chief- Detect I vo; "That is not 80. the witness says so." Counsel urnred again and loudly that it was n rcpitltlon. Tho Chief -Detect Ivo <rlslng nnd fftcIng counHOl): "If you cuy-thnt, you aro tellltif? a deliborntc lie!'* Both sat down. "You can keep your distance," snarled- ihc Chief-Det«otlve collecting his papers and shifting further alonjr the »>o/ich. "Don't «o lookInir at my phper*." Counsel; "No one wants to «»e<» your papers. Hero's another one you hftd bftter hrtvo, and (turning to th«> Honch) 1 nay tho wltnesK did repeat the rem«rk nfter the ChlH-Dt<toetlvc> nnd no on kno\v« thnt b*»tn>r than tho Chief- Dt'tcctlvo hlm«<»lf." Tho.-. Chief -ihufttedly rising): "I wy njxnln that you are telllnj? a deliberate lie." '.■'•'■■ '• Further recrimination* wore ended by a word from th^ Uirnch.